Mullings

"I'm not scared."

This is how Steve Mullings responds to reporters when asked about his thoughts on facing Jamaica's sprinting poster boys Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell.

Why should he be?

Mullings, who trains in the US with the fastest American in history Tyson Gay, has been burning up tracks since the start of the season and is not only the fastest Jamaican over 100m this year, but also the fastest man on the planet so far.

The 28 year-old's successive world leads of 9.90, 9.89 and the impressive 9.80 posted at last weekend's Prefontaine Classics Diamond League meet made him the sixth-best sprinter of all time. Not bad for a man that started the season at number 21 on the all time sprinting chart.

"If I could run the perfect race, anything could happen," said Mullings of his potential against this compatriots. "We'll see what happens. We have got great people (in Jamaica) and everybody is going to be ready for the trials." Maybe not quite everybody.

Bolt is not required to run at the trials because of his wild card obtained by being the defending champion at this year's IAAF World Championships in Athletics in both the 100m and the 200m, while there is uncertainty surrounding Powell's participation, after he pulled up during a 100m outing in Rabat on Sunday.

Nonetheless, Bolt, the 100m and 200m world record holder, may very well feature at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Supreme Ventures National Senior Champion-ships, with his handlers suggesting that he may take the opportunity to run in the heats to sharpen up before the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

Mullings did in fact finish second to Bolt a few weeks ago in Ostrava, posting 9.97 compared to Bolt's 9.91 seconds.

However, that loss aside, he has been the most impressive Jamaican sprinter on the circuit and has credited his rise to a more patient approach towards the execution of the opening phase of his race.

"I have always been a good sprinter, I just figured it out, how to do it," Mullings said. "I always rushed my first 30 metres, now I have more patience."

"I may not have the top end (speed) of Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt, but I am working on it," added the little dynamo, who will be focusing his attention on first of all making Jamaica's team to Daegu and then making a mark at the championships.

Steve Mullings (right) poses with Jamaican teammates (from left) Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Michael Frater while celebrating winning gold in the Men's 4x100m final during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009. - ap