Is he a doper too? I know it’s unfair but that’s the first thing that came to mind when I read this:

Usain Bolt was on fire at Saturday night’s Jamaica International Invitation, posting a sizzling 9.76sec, the second fastest 100m time ever.

Following the doping scandals involving Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery, Antonio Pettigrew, and the endless lists of athletics cheats, it is tragic that youngsters are left with no models to look up to these days. It is also tragic that honest athletes are cheated of their victory. But maybe the greater tragedy resulting from the recent drug scandals is that the record-setting achievements of guys like Usain Bolt are met with questions like, “Is he a doper too?” It is unfair, yes. But that’s what it is. For his sake, and our sake, and the sake of athletics, I surely hope he’s not.

By the way are you, like me, wondering what Michael Johnson, our crystal ball gazer, will say of Usain? What will he say now that Jamaica has a one-two punch who could outrun his bet, American sprinter Tyson Gay? Michael, maybe you should bring out your crystal ball again, eh?

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Here at The Olympics Blog, we love it when someone makes a prediction regarding the Beijing Games. Why? Because come August, we will either jeer that person when it turns out that s/he got it wrong or bow before him/her if s/he proves to be as good as Nostradamus.

Anyways, according to a Reuters report, five-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson made the following predictions:

* American sprinter Tyson Gay will beat Asafa Powell in the 100 meter dash.

* American Jeremy Wariner, who Johnson manages, will win the Beijing 400 meters and some day break Johnson’s world record of 43.18 seconds.

* Ethiopian world record holder Haile Gebrselassie will change his mind and run the Olympic marathon.

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“Asafa Powell is a great talent but he can never get it done. He’s failed time after time at the championships.”

Uggh. Kinda unsportsmanlike to say something like that but maybe Michael Johnson knows whereof he speaks? Or is he just trying to psych out Asafa Powell? Come on Asafa, prove him wrong.