Of the 302 gold medals to be awarded in 26 sports at the London Games, none has more lustre than the one that will adorn the neck of the men’s 100m champion. No event is more gripping on the Olympic programme than the primal dash involving eight fastest men of the world. The race is won or lost in fractions of a second but the winner lives for an eternity.

The sight of Lionel Messi on a magical run or Spain’s tiki-taka in full flow may be worthy competitors for sporting nirvana, but give me the Olympic short sprint any day for its extraordinary drama and raw power as recreation of the Fight of the Century between Ali and Frazier isn’t possible.

Running is the oldest sporting activity known to mankind and the 100m is its crown jewel. The Olympic cast for the blue riband event had never been more exciting than the London line-up. Athletes who have run the 19 fastest races in the history of the 100m — Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake — will be in London. Throw in the winner of US Olympic trials and 2004 Games champion, Justin Gatlin, into the mix and you have the prospect of witnessing the most pulsating short sprint ever.

In 10 days’ time it will be known whether Bolt is made of bones, flesh and nerves like all of us. The Jamaican is on the cusp of becoming the greatest sprinter of all time. Bolt says it is his time. Who would argue with him if he does the double at London? Nobody has successfully defended the 100m and 200m titles in Olympic history.

Carl Lewis is the only man to retain the 100m crown at the Games, even though chemically powered Ben Johnson stole his thunder on the track at Seoul. The American could celebrate his gold only after Johnson was stripped of his for a doping violation.

What has added spice to the 100m is Bolt’s fallibility these days. Rumours are swirling around about his fitness. The double world record holder is certainly not approaching the Olympics in the form of his life. Blake, his training partner, beat him comprehensively in both the 100m and 200m at the Jamaican trials. Bolt’s cloak of invincibility is gone. Others are sniffing their chances.

In Beijing he was just a playful wannabe; he is now the real deal and the face of athletics. The pressure on Bolt to deliver at London is immense. If his false start in the 100m at last year’s World championship is any indication, the Olympic champion must possess the mind of a monk to deal with Blake and Co at the 2012 Games. Nervous energy is a double-edged sword. Bolt is masking his nerves in mind games.

The 100m wouldn’t be what it is without bravado, prancing and preening. It is after all the track’s heavyweight boxing. By midnight on August 5 we will know who is the fastest man in the world. Here is the lowdown on title contenders in the 100m.

Bolt: The man who owned the Bird’s Nest will be looking forward to stake his claim to the Olympic Stadium in London. A chance for immortality beckons the man who stormed the athletic world as a blast of fresh air in Beijing. Bolt has the world record, 9.58s, after his sensational run at the 2009 world championship. Experts say he could have gone faster in Beijing had he not chosen to celebrate from the 80m mark in the Olympic final. But Bolt is not Bolt without his trademark showboating. His antics before and after the race are as eagerly looked forward to as his blistering run.

His height, 1.95m, is not ideal for a sprinter, as smaller men enjoy an advantage at the start. Bolt’s reaction time was the slowest among the top runners at the 2009 worlds.

But the Jamaican icon is unstoppable once he gets into his groove. His giant strides — he stopped the clock at 9.69s in Beijing with 41 strides — devour his rivals. One advantage for Bolt at the starting block is all runners would be wary of jumping the gun, fearful of the no false rule.

Blake: At 22, the Jamaican is younger to Bolt by three years. Whether he is also hungrier will determine his fate at London. There is no doubt that Blake is the inform star. Fastest times in both the 100m (9.75s) and 200m (19.80) this year belong to him. Blake has a psychological edge over his compatriot. He is also the youngest world 100m champion. Little wonder Bolt calls his training partner “the beast.”
Powell: He could be the third Jamaican runner in the 100m final. Choking is Powell’s biggest problem. His low centre of gravity helps him get off the blocks early but he loses steam after the 60m mark. It would be an Olympic shock if Powell goes on to win the premier event.

Gay: The American doesn’t have an Olympic medal. It is a tribute to his resilience that Gay has rebounded after a career threatening hip injury. After surgery last year, the sprinter returned to competitive running only last month. He was second behind Gatlin at the US trials and he would like to finish ahead of Bolt at London. Having clocked 9.69, the second fastest time ever, Gay will not be short on confidence. London represents his last shot at glory.

Gatlin: After serving a doping ban, Gatlin will be seeking redemption at London. He is hurt that a lot of people are still looking at him as a cheat. Gatlin would be keen to prove that he can win clean.