(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-05-09 13:37

NEW YORK - U.S. world champion Tyson Gay and Jamaican Usain Bolt will meet in a 100 metres showdown at the New York Grand Prix on May 31, organisers said on Thursday.

The clash will be their first at 100 metres.

Bolt, the world 200 silver medallist, stunned the world by clocking 9.76 seconds -- the second-fastest time ever - in the 100 at the Jamaica International Invitational last Saturday.

Only compatriot Asafa Powell's 2007 world record of 9.74 seconds has been faster than Bolt's time.

Gay swept the sprinting honours in 2007, defeating Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas and Powell in the 100 and Bolt in the 200 at the world championships.

He ran a wind-assisted 9.76 seconds at last year's New York meeting. It would have been a world record at the time except for an aiding wind of 2.2 metres per second, slightly above that allowable for record purposes.

Powell later lowered his world record to 9.74 seconds.

Gay and Bolt have races before the New York meeting. Gay will run the 100 and 200 at the Track Classic in Los Angeles on May 18 with Bolt running the 100 the same day in Trinidad.