November 21 - Jamaica's Usain Bolt (pictured) and the United States Tyson Gay will race each other at least three times next year in the new Diamond League, the 14-event $6.6 million (£4 million) worldwide series which was officially launched by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in Monte Carlo tonight .

 

The series starts in Doha on May 14and each venue will have one of the top trio competing over 100 or 200 metres.
 

Britain will host two meetings,  in Gateshead on July 10 and London on August 13-14.

 

Bolt has not lost a race since Gay beat him to claim the 200m title at the World Championships in Osaka in 2007.

 

Since then he has lowered the world records for 100m and 200m on two occasions each and established himself as one of the greatest athletes in history.


Organisers will announce a full list of who will be competing at the various locations, with the first scheduled to be released early next year.
 

The new series replaces the six-city Golden League that offered athletes a share of a $1 million ( £606 million) jackpot for six victories.
 

With Bolt's countryman Asafa Powell also signed up to the series, the IAAF is hoping that the rivalries between the three fastest 100m performers will attract spectators back to the sport.
 

Among the other top stars who have committed to the series are Ethiopian distance runner Kenenisa Bekele, pole vaulters Steve Hooker from Australia and Russian Yelena Isinbayeva, American 400m runner Sanya Richards, Norwegian javelin thrower Andreas Thorkildsen and Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlasic.
 

Competitors in each event will accumulate points and the top scorer after the season finale in Brussels on August 27 will receive a diamond-studded trophy.

 

 

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