Beijing Olympic Games

Do not overlook other sprinters, Atkins says

By Gene Cherry

BEIJING, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Overlooked and under-appreciated, Bahamian sprinter Derrick Atkins said Thursday he was ready to pull some surprises in the Olympic 100 meters.

Despite being a world silver medallist, Atkins has been lost in the shadow of his more heralded rivals, Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay in the run-up to the highly anticipated race.

“You never know, they might mess around and never make the final,” Atkins told adidas.com.

“Last year, everybody had me paste, for a bronze medal,” Atkins said of the world championships. “And I came in there and I did what I had to do and I got the silver.”

World record holder Bolt is the odds-on favourite to capture the gold in athletics’ marquee event, which begins on Friday at Bird’s Nest stadium with the final on Saturday.

Jamaican compatriot and former record holder Powell and American champion Gay are expected to be his biggest challengers.

A number of other contenders could chase medals, including Americans Darvis Patton and Walter Dix, Trinidad’s Richard Thompson and Marc Burns and Atkins. All except Atkins have run under 10.00 this year.

“I feel like this year I have not run up to par how I did last year,” he said.” Everytime I stepped on the track it was like ten zeros or sub ten, but this year has been a ‘yoyo.’

“It has been up and down. ….I’m just trying to get back to where I was.”

Atkins said Bolt’s performances this year, including his world record 9.72 seconds, were phenomenal.

“He’s done great things,” the Bahamian said, but in the Olympics, “it’s all going to boil down to who can handle the pressure and who is tough enough.”

(Editing by Steve Ginsburg)

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