It was not quite the highest profile sprinting duel ever fought in this neck of the track and field woods. Back in 1993 Carl Lewis jetted across the Pond on Concorde to face Linford Christie on the same 100m stretch on which Tyson Gay saw off Asafa Powell in the Aviva British Grand Prix yesterday.
On that earlier occasion the Tyneside arena was filled to 3,000 beyond its official capacity with 14,779 in attendance, a temporary stand having been imported from Silverstone to meet the demand. Christie emerged victorious in 10.08sec, with Lewis only third - behind his American compatriot Jon Drummond, who just happens to be one of Gay's coaches.
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