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Track & Field News of Thursday, 16 August 2012

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American sprint star tracks his Ghanaian brother

OLYMPIC MEDALIST WANTS REUNION WITH HIS GHANAIAN BROTHER

Team USA sprinter and the third fastest man in the world Justin Gatlin is itching to go back home and link up with his ''family''.

But according to the ''born again'' clean athlete, it is not just his folks back home in the United States he is thinking about.

In an exclusive interview with TV3 Sports, the sprint bronze medalist at London 2012 says he would love to link up with his half-brother Duke Quashie in Ghana.

''Yea I have to make that trip one day for real. You know I have a half-brother in Ghana called Duke Quashie and I know it's a family affair so Ghana will be on my mind''

Gatlin made the revelation a few moments before the spectacular closing ceremony at the Stratford Olympic Stadium in London.

The 30 year old has no doubts that Africa is the motherland and plans to visit ''the land of Nkrumah'' as soon as his schedule allows him.

Indeed, he has not totally ruled out an Olympic swan song in Brazil yet. ''You know Rio is not too far away and if my body allows me, sure why not, who knows''

The former world record holder has had to deal with doubts about his comeback and the fact that he was the oldest winner of the US Olympic trials.

His rivals are aware that he is not coming back from some form of injury. He is infact coming back after a four year absence due to a drug suspension.

In fairness, that did not seem to bother Jamaicans Usain Bolt or Yohan Blake who finished ahead of Gatlin in both the 100 metres sprint and the relays.

Yet confessions of drug use by the American and his apparent new lease of life appears to have put the negative past firmly in the shadows.

It sounds crazy and a little conspiracy-theorists but supporters of Gatlin claim that their athletes's massage therapist Chris Whetsine, sabotaged him by rubbing steroids into his body.

Some people are lucky to get a second chance. Gatlin had a second and is now on his third chance; he claims he will not blow it this time around. Only time will tell.