• Athletics

Gatlin nervous ahead of track return

ESPN staff
August 3, 2010
Justin Gatlin is ready to show he still has the pace to compete at the top level © Getty Images
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Former Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin has admitted to feeling nervous as he approaches his return to competitive action following his drugs ban.

The American tasted Olympic glory in the blue riband event in Athens in 2004, but was suspended from the sport after testing positive for a banned substance in 2006. He has always maintained his innocence and is on the cusp of a return to action.

He has been handed a place in the Rakvere meet in Estonia on August 3 and although admitting to a touch of nerves, is confident his pace is still good.

"I have been training to run fast with the techniques I have been learning with my new coach," Gatlin, who has been working with Loren Seagrove, said. "Our goal is to go technical and with the technique we have used it should be easy to get under 10 seconds.

"Any athlete going into a competition is nervous to a certain point. You try and turn that nervousness into adrenalin and do the best you can do to compete.

"I just want to have a good show and a good standing so people will say, 'he looks good'.

"I don't only run for myself. I run for my family, my fans and my friends. I want to go out there and be able to show my son that I'm a good athlete."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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