Usain Bolt headlines Stockholm stop of Samsung Diamond League meet; Måkestad & Crawford entered...

STOCKHOLM, Sweden--The Samsung Diamond League returns Friday to the Olympic Stadium as Jamaica's Usain Bolt (left/photo by Paul Merca) faces off against American Tyson Gay in one of the best matchups of the meet.

The year’s most heavily anticipated showdown suffered a setback with Asafa Powell’s withdrawal due to injury, but nonetheless marks the first time that the duo will meet on the track since last year's World Championships in Berlin. Bolt set the world record in the German capital, clocking an astounding 9.58, with Gay second in 9.71, then a US record, which he later improved to 9.69.

At the moment, Jamaicans Bolt and Powell share the world lead at 9.82 with Gay lagging a bit behind having clocked 9.94 in his only 100m start this season. Friday’s race, with a pair of heats scheduled about 90 minutes before the final, will be only the third time in their careers that Bolt and Gay go head head-to-head in the 100m.

Of particular interest this weekend are the pair’s recent experiences at Stockholm’s Olympic Stadium: Bolt’s last loss at 100m, back on 22 July 2008, was here when he finished second to Powell by a scant 0.01. Gay meanwhile is the defending DN Galan champion, clocking a wind-assisted 9.79 last year.

After the DN Galan meet at the site of the 1912 Olympics, the Samsung Diamond League finishes up with meets in London, Zurich and Brussels over the next three weeks.

Two athletes with Washington ties are competing at the DN Galan meet, as former Husky Ingvill Måkestad will run in the women's 1500 meter race, while Rainier Beach High School grad Ginnie Powell Crawford is entered in the women's 100 meter hurdles.

Crawford is currently in fourth place in the 100 meter hurdles race for the Diamond, picking up points in Doha and New York this season.

The three women ahead of Crawford in the Samsung Diamond League race in the event--Lolo Jones, Pricilla Lopes-Schliep, and Perdita Felicien--are all entered in the meet.

Live coverage is available via universalsports.com, with same day delayed coverage on Universal Sports (channel 115 on Seattle area Comcast).

Results from the DN Galan are available here...

ON THE TRACK: Athletics Canada recently announced that former Husky pole vaulter Carly Dockendorf was named to its Commonwealth Games team that competes in Delhi, India in October, based on her second place finish at last week's Canadian nationals.

You can read Athletics Canada's release here...

NOTE: The IAAF contributed to this report.