Lewis rather than Gay on Usain Bolt's radar

USAIN Bolt has shown himself to be a mere mortal this season so it might come as some surprise that the American on the Jamaican sprint king's radar is not his conqueror Tyson Gay.

UNFAZED: Usain Bolt is not in the slightest bit concerned but his slump in form in 2010 (Getty Images)

Gay inflicted Bolt's first major defeat for two years in Stockholm last month and the triple world and Olympic champion has only managed a season's best of 9.82 - pedestrian by his standards.

Gay, a former world champion and the second fastest man in history, has twice ducked under that mark and shares the 2010 world lead time of 9.78 with another Jamaican Nesta Carter.

Bolt meanwhile, has long since called time on his season, citing a back injury while coach Glen Mills earlier this year admitted October's Commonwealth Games was never on his agenda.

In truth Bolt has taken one of his size 13s off the pedal this year with a dearth of major championships and by Gay's own admission, the Jamaican was far from his best in the Swedish capital.

Nonetheless Bolt's aura of invincibility has been peeled away by the dogged American and next year's World Championships are not the forgone conclusion they once looked.

But Bolt, never short on confidence, is unfazed by his defeat - admitting it is defending his world and Olympic titles that pre-occupy him at present.

He is currently in London to promote his new book ‘Usain Bolt: 9.58' and upon visiting the Olympic Stadium in Stratford declared becoming only the second man to defend the Olympic 100m sprint title - the other being the USA's Carl Lewis - is what serves as his motivation.    

"This is not a championship year, it's my year off I would say, so there is no problem," Bolt told The Sun.

"For me it doesn't count. For me it's always about championships and I will be ready for those. My aim is to be a legend.

"Nothing has happened this year which makes me think I might have lost my edge or anything like that.

"I think Tyson was happy to beat me but most of the athletes took the year easy.

"Some took the year off altogether. This year isn't that important for a lot of us. I can tell everyone I will get myself back fit and ready for the World Championships and Olympics.

"If I win at the World Championships in Korea next year that will be one set of titles defended but then I want to win the Olympics to complete the job."