LONDON, (Reuters) – World champion Yohan Blake was a popular man when an international panel of athletes was asked today to pick the Olympic 100 metres winner.
The group, by a 4-1 margin, went for Jamaican trials double winner Blake over world record holder and reigning Olympic champion Usain Bolt.
“In track and field we having a saying, ‘Stuff happens and you are only good as your last race’,” former 400 metres hurdles world record holder Edwin Moses told reporters.
“I hate to not vote for Bolt but I am not sure the cards are in his favour. I am going to say Blake too. I think he is the man to beat.”
Former world 100 record holder Maurice Greene, who on Saturday told Reuters technical problems made Bolt vulnerable, agreed as did two-time British Olympic decathlon champion Daley Thompson and former marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie.
Only American Dick Fosbury, who revolutionised high jumping, voted for Bolt.
“You have got to go with this year, and by performance Blake has clearly got the advantage,” the 1968 Olympic champion said. “But anything can happen so I will put my money on Bolt.”
The panel was more divided in the 200.
Greene and Moses went with Bolt to defend his title with Gebrselassie and Thompson favouring Blake.
Again Fosbury had a different opinion. He picked U.S. trials champion Wallace Spearmon.
“It is a national thing,” said the American.
