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Bailey, Johnson May Race Again

Thursday, April 30, 1998

NEW YORK (Donovan Bailey WWWsite) -- The overly hyped match race between Michael Johnson and Donovan Bailey could be held again this summer as part of the Goodwill Games in New York.

Harvey Schiller, president of Turner Sports, which will televise the Goodwill Games, said there was a "good possibility" of a rematch of the 150-meter showdown at Toronto, where Johnson pulled up injured after 70 meters.

Schiller said that while there are many details to be arranged, the race could be set in a few weeks.

"Both are competitive people and they like the excitement of it," Schiller said. "I don't think there's a downside. Both are running very fast."

The track and field portion of the Goodwill Games will be held July 19-22 in Long Island. Schiller said the rematch probably would be held near the Aug. 2 end of the games.

He said Mitchell Field in Long Island and Times Square were being considered as sites.

"If they want to put on a race, he would have to have the best guys in the world, about four or five, or even fill the (eight) lanes," Johnson's agent Brad Hunt said.

"How can you have a race without Ato Boldon, Maurice Greene or Frankie Fredericks? If they want a race at this point in time that has meaning, you have to include those guys. If it's two men, it's two men other than Michael Johnson."

Boldon is the world 200 champion and has run the 100 this year in 9.86 seconds, only .02 seconds off Bailey's record of 9.84 set at Atlanta. Greene won the world 100-meter title last year, also at 9.86, and Fredericks was ranked No. 1 in the world in the 100 in 1997.

Last year, Johnson and Bailey were guaranteed $500,000 apiece, with the winner (Bailey) getting an additional $1 million.

"I think the Goodwill Games would be a great podium to do the rematch," Bailey's agent Ray Flynn said. "It would stir up a lot of interest. It caught everyone's attention even though there was criticism because Michael pulled up and that was the worst thing that could have happened.

Goodwill Games spokesman Mike Lewellen emphasized that such elements as money, location and competitors must be in place before the race can go forward.

He said the athletes would have to be paid at least as much as they were in Toronto. He added that the Long Island venue would make the most sense from a purely running standpoint but a straightaway dash, unlike the curve in Toronto, in Times Square in Manhattan would be more exciting.

"So if we don't solve all the variables, it won't happen," he said.