LEIGHTON LEVY, STAR Writer

American sprinter Ryan Bailey believes his country's sprinters are focused on wresting back world dominance in the sprints from Jamaica.

It's one reason he feels his countrymen have been running so fast this season.

Bailey opened his season with 9.93 seconds to finish behind Asafa Powell (9.84) at the Jamaica International Invitational on May 9.

It was Bailey's fastest season opener, coming a week after a US team of himself, Mike Rodgers, Justin Gatlin, and Tyson Gay defeated Jamaica in the 4x100m at the IAAF World Relays.

Bailey, who, at 6"5' is as tall as Usain Bolt, said handing Jamaica a rare defeat is an indicator of the hard work American sprinters have been doing to get back on top.

"We are all focused on dominating the sprint scene like the US has in the past. Asafa, Nesta, Bolt and Blake, they are all powerhouses so we're trying to get that back and have that rivalry come back, too. so we're all training really hard and looking forward to the world championships," said Bailey whose personal best of 9.88s was run in a race in which he was second to Nesta Carter's 9.78s in Reiti, Italy, in August 2010.

Healthy this year for the first time in a few years, Bailey, who recently returned to his former coach, John Parks, said he has been preparing well.

"Every year, my goal is to stay healthy because the last couple years I have been plagued with injury. I've moved back home and I am training with my old coach. he knows my body really well and there are plenty of doctors who know my body, so I think that has a lot to do with me being healthy. If I can continue that, then I am going to do really well."