COME TOMORROW, some time after 7:55 p.m., Jamaican track and field fans should be in for a treat; I hope so when Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell clash for the first time.

This would be the first occasion on which the world's two fastest men, Bolt, who holds the world 100m record of 9.72 seconds, and Powell, who less than a month ago was the world's fastest man at 9.74, will face off - and what better place than on Jamaican soil.

But while the eyes of the track and field world will be on Jamaica and not the United States' Olympic Trials as they are accustomed to, there is talk by the two men of playing around come tomorrow.

Make the team

Bolt said the day after his world-record run at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York: "I don't think it will be a showdown.

He added;"I just think Asafa and I will just be going out there to make the team to Beijing. I don't think we are going out there to prove anything. That's how I will be looking at it, I don't know how Asafa will be looking at it."

Powell said after his 9.96 effort in Trinidad on Saturday; "I am not going there to put on any show because you have Bolt who is running 9.7, and other guys running (good). I just want to make the team, that's all I want to do ... that's all I am going there to do, make the team."

Based on what both men have said, I agree that Beijing is important, but winning should be the ultimate aim.

Also, I don't agree with not putting on a show - especially for the paying public without whom there would be no Bolt or Powell.

Without the fans, athletes would not make any money as they would not have the support of their shoe companies, which pay them to showcase products to people.

Sounding timid

But, looking at it from another angle, both athletes sound timid because, if they face the starter together, the one who loses now has a lame excuse.

Put another way, Powell, if he faces the starter for the final, would not want to give up his national title, especially to a man who has only ran five 100m races in his entire career.

I warn Bolt and Powell; please don't fool around come tomorrow night because it might not get a fair reception when you cross the finish line.

Now, turning to a few of my predictions, starting with the women's 100m. Veronica Campbell-Brown is my pick ahead of Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson.

Campbell-Brown, again is my pick for the women's 200m, again ahead of Stewart and Simpson, while in the women's 400m, which could have Moya Thompson as a big surprise. Shericka Williams would get my nod over Novlene Williams-Mills.

Other big winners

In the men's events, Bolt ahead of Powell at this stage looks the likely result in the 100m with Steve Mullings and Nesta Carter fighting for the third spot.

Bolt should take the 200m ahead of Chris Williams and Marvin Anderson while Sanjay Ayre should beat Ricardo Chambers for the 400m title.

The other big event on the programme is the women's 100m hurdles, and based on form this season, Delloreen Ennis-London should get in ahead of Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Vonette Dixon, who is in line for her first Olympic Games trip.

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