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Proud Jamaica awaits 100m showdown
By Nick Davis
BBC News, Jamaica
Asafa Powell is a four-time world record-holder in the 100m
Standing in the line for the bank in Jamaica's capital, Kingston, I overheard yet another conversation about the biggest issue that seems to be affecting the country right now.
Not education, employment or even crime, but which Jamaican will win the 100m final in Beijing.
"Remember, I said Usain, no Asafa, no I'll bet money on Usain. Bolt is faster because he's more accurate than Asafa. No, Asafa will win the gold. He'll get the gold medal," one person said.
It is funny, because wherever you go on the island it is pretty much the same topic of conversation everywhere and there is no sense that any other sprinters except ones from here are taking part.
"There's no others to me apart from Asafa and Usain - that's my choice - the others are just competing. They are just running because they have to. When they are up against Usain and Asafa they just aren't competing - it's a run," somebody else explained.
National pride
It has been decided here that it will be a two-man race on Saturday with the gold and silver medals going to either Usain Bolt, the world record holder who clocked up a run of 9.72 seconds earlier this year, or Asafa Powell, from whom he took the title.
The 100m final is going to cause a run on the power companies - I think this will be the highest audience in Jamaican TV history 
Simon Crosskill
Head of Sports, Television Jamaica
For Jamaicans, the final in Beijing is not only going to be a showdown of the two fastest men in the world, but also a showcase of the country's rise as an athletics superpower.
The nation, which boasts a population of only 2.8m, made its debut at the 1948 London Olympics, picking up a gold and two silvers. Since then, it has become a matter of deep pride for Jamaicans.
Over the years, athletes like Arthur Wint, Herb McKenley, Merlene Ottey and Don Quarrie have become legends in this small country.
Usain Bolt is the current world record holder
Near the national stadium are murals to these heroes. Bolt and Powell will want to join them and the whole country is behind them.
Kingston is never quiet, but on Saturday for about nine-and-a-bit seconds expect to be able to hear a pin drop as a nation waits.
Simon Crosskill, the head of sports at Television Jamaica, expects the Caribbean island will come to a complete halt.
"I suspect everybody will be around their television," he says.
"The 100m final is going to cause a run on the power companies. I think this will be the highest audience in Jamaican TV history."
Jamaica has never won the gold medal in the 100m sprint, the Blue Riband event of track and field, but according to Anthony Davis, the director of sports at Jamaica's University of Technology (UTech) it has been building up to this for years.
As you enter the university's campus, there is a banner that proudly says "UTech - Home of world class athletes", and it is no idle boast.
I did a presentation to Seb Coe when he visited here about a month or two ago - in the middle of it, he stopped me and said if UTech was a country you'd rank in the top five in the world
Anthony Davis, director of sports
University of Technology, Jamaica
Twenty percent of the squad in China are either past or present students, including Bolt and Powell.
"I did a presentation to Seb Coe when he visited here about a month or two ago. In the middle of it, he stopped me and said if UTech was a country you'd rank in the top five in the world," Mr Davis says.
"The chairman of the Organising Committee at the 2012 Olympics in London said that and I'm telling you we expect to get eight medals from Beijing. It may be optimistic but we have to wait and see."
As you walk about the shabby, rundown facilities of the gym where both Bolt and Powell still train, it is a bit more youth club than international centre of excellence and that is what has made some people suspicious.
Reports that Jamaican athletes were being drug tested more than others led some people here to call officials in Beijing "vampires", because of the amount of blood taken from their heroes.
"We learnt a lot from the Americans - nearly everything, apart from the drugs," Mr Davis jokes.
Neighbourly rivalry
Some people mention the American Tyson Gay as the man who could spoil the party, but most say he is not looking too sharp, mention injury, or just say he is not that good. Saying any different feels like it could count as treason.
The American Tyson Gay could throw a spanner in the works
"Any of them could win, but as a Jamaican I would like Asafa or Bolt win. But, you can't discount the fact that Gay has a great chance also," Mr Davis says.
"He has the fastest time in the world, not recorded as it was wind assisted of 9.68 [seconds], so he's up there. Most people are blinded by the facts because they are Jamaican."
The sense of rivalry between the US and Jamaica makes many people here feel proud of getting one over their neighbour to the north, which has more money and a population more than 100 times the size.
"Look at the USA - they have better facilities than us. But us Jamaicans, we train naturally [with] push-ups and we come out further - that's a great thing."
As you drive around Kingston, there is lots of the black, gold and green of the Jamaican flag everywhere.
The country celebrates its independence from the UK in August, so this is always quite a patriotic time of year.
I would like Bolt to win the 200 and Asafa the 100, bearing in mind Usain is the 200 man and Asafa the 100 and all carry the gold back to Jamaica
William Powell
Combine that with Jamaica's love of sport and the Olympics are a great source of national pride and unity.
"We're a likkle dot against the world, how can you not feel proud of Jamaica," says Rohan Nembhard, a taxi driver.
As I climb into his taxi only a mile or so away from the national stadium, Mr Nembhard is playing a dancehall tune by the genre's man of the moment, Movado.
The sound is booming from the beefed-up speakers placed in the car's boot.
I'm trying hard to catch the lyrics of the song as it is distorted by the bass, but the chorus is clear: "Going, going gone." It's about Powell, his speed and the DJ's pride in the boy of the soil.
Powell's father, William, is quietly confident his son will be victorious.
"I would like Bolt to win the 200 and Asafa the 100, bearing in mind Usain is the 200 man and Asafa the 100 and all carry the gold back to Jamaica," he says. "I predict he'll do 9.7 dead." The taxi driver tells me that he is heading to Ocho Rios, a resort town on the coast to watch the race with some friends, have a few drinks and cool out. I ask him who he thinks will win. He laughs
By Nick Davis
BBC News, Jamaica
Asafa Powell is a four-time world record-holder in the 100mStanding in the line for the bank in Jamaica's capital, Kingston, I overheard yet another conversation about the biggest issue that seems to be affecting the country right now.
Not education, employment or even crime, but which Jamaican will win the 100m final in Beijing.
"Remember, I said Usain, no Asafa, no I'll bet money on Usain. Bolt is faster because he's more accurate than Asafa. No, Asafa will win the gold. He'll get the gold medal," one person said.
It is funny, because wherever you go on the island it is pretty much the same topic of conversation everywhere and there is no sense that any other sprinters except ones from here are taking part.
"There's no others to me apart from Asafa and Usain - that's my choice - the others are just competing. They are just running because they have to. When they are up against Usain and Asafa they just aren't competing - it's a run," somebody else explained.
National pride
It has been decided here that it will be a two-man race on Saturday with the gold and silver medals going to either Usain Bolt, the world record holder who clocked up a run of 9.72 seconds earlier this year, or Asafa Powell, from whom he took the title.
The 100m final is going to cause a run on the power companies - I think this will be the highest audience in Jamaican TV history Simon Crosskill
Head of Sports, Television Jamaica
For Jamaicans, the final in Beijing is not only going to be a showdown of the two fastest men in the world, but also a showcase of the country's rise as an athletics superpower.
The nation, which boasts a population of only 2.8m, made its debut at the 1948 London Olympics, picking up a gold and two silvers. Since then, it has become a matter of deep pride for Jamaicans.
Over the years, athletes like Arthur Wint, Herb McKenley, Merlene Ottey and Don Quarrie have become legends in this small country.
Usain Bolt is the current world record holderNear the national stadium are murals to these heroes. Bolt and Powell will want to join them and the whole country is behind them.
Kingston is never quiet, but on Saturday for about nine-and-a-bit seconds expect to be able to hear a pin drop as a nation waits.
Simon Crosskill, the head of sports at Television Jamaica, expects the Caribbean island will come to a complete halt.
"I suspect everybody will be around their television," he says.
"The 100m final is going to cause a run on the power companies. I think this will be the highest audience in Jamaican TV history."
Jamaica has never won the gold medal in the 100m sprint, the Blue Riband event of track and field, but according to Anthony Davis, the director of sports at Jamaica's University of Technology (UTech) it has been building up to this for years.
As you enter the university's campus, there is a banner that proudly says "UTech - Home of world class athletes", and it is no idle boast.
I did a presentation to Seb Coe when he visited here about a month or two ago - in the middle of it, he stopped me and said if UTech was a country you'd rank in the top five in the world Anthony Davis, director of sports
University of Technology, Jamaica
Twenty percent of the squad in China are either past or present students, including Bolt and Powell.
"I did a presentation to Seb Coe when he visited here about a month or two ago. In the middle of it, he stopped me and said if UTech was a country you'd rank in the top five in the world," Mr Davis says.
"The chairman of the Organising Committee at the 2012 Olympics in London said that and I'm telling you we expect to get eight medals from Beijing. It may be optimistic but we have to wait and see."
As you walk about the shabby, rundown facilities of the gym where both Bolt and Powell still train, it is a bit more youth club than international centre of excellence and that is what has made some people suspicious.
Reports that Jamaican athletes were being drug tested more than others led some people here to call officials in Beijing "vampires", because of the amount of blood taken from their heroes.
"We learnt a lot from the Americans - nearly everything, apart from the drugs," Mr Davis jokes.
Neighbourly rivalry
Some people mention the American Tyson Gay as the man who could spoil the party, but most say he is not looking too sharp, mention injury, or just say he is not that good. Saying any different feels like it could count as treason.
The American Tyson Gay could throw a spanner in the works"Any of them could win, but as a Jamaican I would like Asafa or Bolt win. But, you can't discount the fact that Gay has a great chance also," Mr Davis says.
"He has the fastest time in the world, not recorded as it was wind assisted of 9.68 [seconds], so he's up there. Most people are blinded by the facts because they are Jamaican."
The sense of rivalry between the US and Jamaica makes many people here feel proud of getting one over their neighbour to the north, which has more money and a population more than 100 times the size.
"Look at the USA - they have better facilities than us. But us Jamaicans, we train naturally [with] push-ups and we come out further - that's a great thing."
As you drive around Kingston, there is lots of the black, gold and green of the Jamaican flag everywhere.
The country celebrates its independence from the UK in August, so this is always quite a patriotic time of year.
I would like Bolt to win the 200 and Asafa the 100, bearing in mind Usain is the 200 man and Asafa the 100 and all carry the gold back to Jamaica William Powell
Combine that with Jamaica's love of sport and the Olympics are a great source of national pride and unity.
"We're a likkle dot against the world, how can you not feel proud of Jamaica," says Rohan Nembhard, a taxi driver.
As I climb into his taxi only a mile or so away from the national stadium, Mr Nembhard is playing a dancehall tune by the genre's man of the moment, Movado.
The sound is booming from the beefed-up speakers placed in the car's boot.
I'm trying hard to catch the lyrics of the song as it is distorted by the bass, but the chorus is clear: "Going, going gone." It's about Powell, his speed and the DJ's pride in the boy of the soil.
Powell's father, William, is quietly confident his son will be victorious.
"I would like Bolt to win the 200 and Asafa the 100, bearing in mind Usain is the 200 man and Asafa the 100 and all carry the gold back to Jamaica," he says. "I predict he'll do 9.7 dead." The taxi driver tells me that he is heading to Ocho Rios, a resort town on the coast to watch the race with some friends, have a few drinks and cool out. I ask him who he thinks will win. He laughs