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KINGSTON. — Former 100 metres world record holder Donovan Bailey has backed Usain Bolt to bow out in triumph at the World Athletics Championships next month despite his slow buildup to the athletics showpiece.

Bolt logged his season best of 9.95 seconds just over a week ago in Monaco, a time beaten by a raft of sprinters this year.

But the 30-year-old Jamaican is still raging favourite to win his fourth 100m world title, and with good reason, according to former world and Olympic champion Bailey.

“Anyone that bets against Bolt at a major championship isn’t smart,” the Jamaica-born Canadian said on Saturday.

“Those athletes have to have a mistake-free race to make (the 100m final) interesting,” he said of Bolt’s rivals.

Bolt is currently ranked joint seventh with archrival Justin Gatlin on the year’s top timesheet .— Reuters.