Bromell eyes Rio showdown with Bolt
Trayvon Bromell believes he is capable of beating anyone in world sprinting as he builds towards a possible Olympic showdown with Usain Bolt in Rio de Janeiro.
The 20-year-old Texas-based star scored the biggest win of his young career on Friday with a victory over Jamaican veteran Asafa Powell to claim gold in the 60m at the World Indoor Athletics Championships.
Bromell's win was an impressive progression from a bronze medal in the 100m at the World Championships in Beijing last August, where he finished behind Bolt and drug-tainted American Justin Gatlin.
For his growing band of admirers, Friday's victory also confirmed the talent which first gained worldwide recognition at last year's US trials, where he clocked 9.84sec in the 100m, the 10th fastest time in history.
In sheer physical terms, Bromell would appear to be fighting in a different weight category to Jamaican sprint king Bolt.
The lithe American speedster stands at a modest 5ft 9in (1.75m) while Bolt towers above him at 6ft 5in (1.95m).
However the supremely confident Bromell is adamant that he is equipped to challenge for the very highest honors.
"I've always had confidence," he said. "At the end of the day you cut our skin we all bleed red. Nobody's Superman, nobody's superhuman. At the end of the day anyone can win."
With both Gatlin and Tyson Gay well into their 30s, Bromell is held up as the standard-bearer for the next generation of US sprinters.
The man himself is reluctant to carry that mantle.
"I don't really want to say that. I'm just here to have fun, run my race, run my event as best I can, as long as I can," he said.
"I really don't want to think of it like that; I just want to have fun with the sport."
Bromell said last year's medal-winning performance in Beijing had been an important staging post as he prepared for his assault on the 60m crown in Portland this week.
"I ran against those guys in the 100m, I knew I could compete with them. I told myself coming in -- 'Man you got third, the only guys that beat you were Gatlin and Bolt. And these guys aren't here.'"
Defeating Powell -- one of his childhood idols -- was especially gratifying Bromell said.
"It's mind-blowing because when I was younger I used to always look at Asafa's start and thought I had to mimic this," he said.
"I have a start like him and have the power like Gatlin and Tyson and have the mindset like Bolt. Looking up to those guys and being able to run against them is a blessing on its own.
"When I was young the doctors told me that I wouldn't be able to run this fast again so to be able to come out here and do the things I do I thank God for giving me the strength. It's crazy."