Asian fastest sprinter to challenge Bolt at IAAF New York GP 100m

Japanese teenager Yoshihide Kiryu, fastest runner in Asia, has been invited to race in 100 meters against world record holder Usain Bolt at the IAAF Diamond League New York Grand Prix on June, the Toyo University announced on Friday.

The Japanese teenager, world junior bronze medallist, clocked a wind-assisted 9.87-second victory at the Texas Relays athletics tournament in Austin on March 28, becoming the fastest Asian sprinter under any conditions.h Kiryu recorded the result under a 3.3-meter-per-second wind condition, exceeding the allowable 2.0 m/s, so his time is deemed invalid for official purposes, but the 19-year-old's time is the fastest ever electronic performance by an Asian sprinter under any conditions.

Kiryu also holds the world youth best of 10.19 and the Asian junior record of 10.05 in 100 meters.

In 2013, Kiryu covered 100 meters in 10.01 seconds at the Mikio Oda Memorial in Hiroshima, Japan, tying the junior world record on April 29 at the age of 17, according to the Hurriyet Daily News.

After that victory, Kiryu said: "I want to run alongside Bolt (at the worlds) and see how he is different from me." Now he wins the chance to run alongside the Jamaican world record holder, whose 9.58 seconds record was set on August 2009

Kiryu broke the world youth 100-meter record as a 16-year-old twice in 2012, breaking the tape in 10.21 seconds in October and 10.19 seconds in November, according to the New Strait Times.

In 2003 Birmingham Grand Prix, Kiryu only finished last in 100m preliminaries in his first prestigious series competition and his first overseas travel outside his home country.
Source: XINHUA