Devonish puts good form to test against Bolt.

FORMER British sprint king Marlon Devonish marks the start of the domestic outdoor athletics season with a showdown with triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt in Manchester on Sunday.

The race takes place over the unusual distance of 150 metres as part of a new street athletics initiative designed to increase interest and participation in the sport and will be Bolt's first race in Europe winning both sprint titles and the 4x100m relay in Beijing last summer.

The 22-year-old had been threatening to pull out following a car crash in which he sustained minor injuries and disruption to his build-up to August's IAAF World Championships in Berlin.

But he confirmed his intention to compete earlier this week and give Devonish the chance to measure himself against a man who shattered the 100m and 200m records last season.

The last time the two met Devonish was a distant last over the half-lap distance in the Olympic semi finals, thereby rounding off a miserable campaign for the Coventry Godiva Harrier.

Not only did he fail to make the final in China, a bare minimum for an athlete of his repute, he didn't even make the team for the 100m.

His problems began in July last year when he fell ill before the trials in Birmingham.

That brought to an end his two-year reign as the undisputed national No 1 as he came home seventh in the blue riband event and was unable to compete over the longer distance.

That led some to suggest at 32 years old his opponents are too far in from of him and his best days behind.

But Devonish has spent the summer as part of Tyson Gay's training group in Florida and as a result posted the best season-opening time of his career by winning in Miami last month in a time of 10.11 seconds.

That has put him in an optimistic mood and while he probably won't get anywhere near Bolt, he will hope to put one of his domestic challengers, Simeon Williamson, in his place.

The Londoner set a personal best of 10.03secs in following Dwain Chambers home at the Alexander Stadium before bombing out in the quarter finals in Beijing..

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