BOLT

Tyson Gay says he has nothing but respect for Jamaican Usain Bolt as the two gear up to compete at this week's London Grand Prix.

Gay, 27, lavished praise on the achievements of 100M and 200M world record holder Bolt, claiming the Olympic champion was the man to beat right now.

Acknowledging the sporting prowess of Bolt, Gay said it was pointless trying to emulate the way in which the six-foot-five inch Jamaican went about the business because he was a 'freak' who does things no one else can.

The American, currently world champion, did say however, that despite the fact Bolt was in such scintillating form, come the World Championships in Berlin he would be bitterly disappointed not to come home with a gold medal.

He said: "I would be upset if I am not victorious (in Berlin) because that is one of my first goals. It's as simple as that.

I've been working really hard. I've been really focused on winning, my attitude has been better. I've been training better and I'm stronger this year. So I would be upset, simple as that."

Monster

Describing how he sees the enigmatic Bolt, Gay said: "He (Bolt) is what you call a monster. In some sports like American Football we call people (like Bolt) freaks. That's because they are tall, they are big and do some things that no one has ever heard of, so it's hard to study someone like that because he is in a class of his own.

"Even his mind frame is different and a lot of people don't think like him. So when you have got a competitor that is thinking just as far as you are thinking that makes them even tougher."

Gay said when he competes in the 200M tomorrow at the Aviva London Grand Prix he will be aiming to register a time of around 19.5 or 19.4 seconds.

Having competed in more 100M races than 200M this year Gay says he wants to put down a time that will make Bolt sit up and take note.

He said: "I want to run around 19.5 or faster. If I do that I think that will let me know where I am this time of year.

"I don't know if it will be a message, but if I do run under 19.5 seconds or somewhere pretty fast around there, I'm sure he (Bolt) will take that into consideration.

"I like the track (at Crystal Palace), it's great, the fans are great and the weather has been good to me too. So I like it."

GAY