Nitro: Jack Hale keen to take on Usain Bolt or Asafa Powell

Jack Hale is champing at the bit to run a fast 100m time against very swift opposition tonight in the Nitro Athletics.

Jamaican sprint star Asafa Powell tries his hand with a cricket bat during a visit to the MCG yesterday ahead of tonight’s Nitro Athletics meeting. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Jack Hale is champing at the bit to run a fast 100m time against very swift opposition in the Nitro Athletics meeting tonight — but just how quick and against whom is not yet clear.

The teen sprint sensation ­produced one of the standout ­moments of the first Nitro event last Saturday, with a storming ­anchor leg of the mixed 4x100m relay to lift Australia from last spot to third.

Hale is set to once again come up against legendary Jamaican duo Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell — the current and former 100m world record holders — in the mixed relay at Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium.

But just who the 18-year-old will square off against in the individual 100m has yet to be decided.

All Stars captain-coach Bolt is unlikely to tackle the individual event so early in the season. Powell insists he is ready and willing if he gets the nod from his skipper.

And versatile American Jarrion Lawson — who did the 100m-200m-long jump treble at last year’s collegiate championships — is an enticing option.

Michael Frater, another member of the Jamaican sub-10 second club, could also be considered, although he was well off the pace last weekend in the 150m.

“No matter who runs, it’s going to be an incredible field,” Hale said.

“If I can come up against Asafa in the 100, it would be huge, especially as an 18-year-old. It’s massive.

“Racing against these guys, they’re obviously always going to be in quick form because 9.7 (second) runners are never running slow.”

With Melbourne’s weather forecast tonight ideal for sprinting, Powell did not rule out the prospect of going under 10 seconds in the blue-riband sprint.

“We haven’t started a lot of speed work as yet. But I surprised myself last week when I ran the 60m (and) I ran 6.64,” he said.

“It came as a bit of a shock to me. If I’d pushed it, I maybe could have run 6.3 or 6.4.

“A sub-10 is possible, it’s there, but I can’t say for sure.”

Hale’s main target in the next 15 months is the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. But things could change quickly if Australia snares a spot in the men’s 4x100m relay at August’s world championships in London.

The individual 100m at the world titles isn’t out of the question either for the youngster, although the qualifying standard is a very slick 10.12sec, 0.09sec off the PB he set last year.

“If I’m running well in a few months’ time and I can pop that time out with some good competition and some good racing, it would be a real tough one to turn down,” Hale said.

“It will be an interesting talk if it happens.”

AAP