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Cape Town - Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has warned American counterpart Justin Gatlin that any pre-race taunting will just make the reigning Olympic champion more determined.
The 29-year-old is targeting an historic treble treble of Olympic gold medals at Rio 2016, but was given a medical exemption after pulling his hamstring in Jamaica's Olympic trials.
34-year-old Gatlin from Brooklyn, a gold medallist in the 100m dash at Athens 2004, took the opportunity to have a dig at his rival, by saying he had been given "a medical pass" to compete at Rio.
"I think they have not learned over the years that the more you talk, the more I will want to beat you," Bolt told Reuters from Brazil.
"It's one of those things, but I'm looking forward to it, should be exciting and they will feel my full wrath as always."
This pre-race banter will add another layer of intrigue when the two take to the blocks for the three events they will be contesting, namely the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, the first of which takes place on Saturday (13 August).
Gatlin has never defeated Bolt in an Olympic final, missing the Beijing 2008 games while serving a four-year doping ban and taking the bronze medal in the 100m at London 2012, behind Bolt and fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake.
The 29-year-old is targeting an historic treble treble of Olympic gold medals at Rio 2016, but was given a medical exemption after pulling his hamstring in Jamaica's Olympic trials.
34-year-old Gatlin from Brooklyn, a gold medallist in the 100m dash at Athens 2004, took the opportunity to have a dig at his rival, by saying he had been given "a medical pass" to compete at Rio.
"I think they have not learned over the years that the more you talk, the more I will want to beat you," Bolt told Reuters from Brazil.
"It's one of those things, but I'm looking forward to it, should be exciting and they will feel my full wrath as always."
This pre-race banter will add another layer of intrigue when the two take to the blocks for the three events they will be contesting, namely the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, the first of which takes place on Saturday (13 August).
Gatlin has never defeated Bolt in an Olympic final, missing the Beijing 2008 games while serving a four-year doping ban and taking the bronze medal in the 100m at London 2012, behind Bolt and fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake.
