Tyson Gay, left, beats Asafa Powell to claim victory in the 100m at the Diamond League meeting at Gateshead in July last year. Photograph: Dave Thompson/AP
The former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell and former world champion Tyson Gay will meet at this year's Diamond League events in Birmingham and London.
Gay, an American, won by 0.02 seconds over the Jamaican in Gateshead last year and they will clash again on 10 July in Birmingham and at the Crystal Palace meeting on 5 and 6 August.
The world and Olympic champion, Usain Bolt, is likely to miss both events, due mainly to British tax rules on promotional earnings that the Jamaican blamed for his absence last year.
Powell will, however, face his compatriot in the Rome Diamond League meeting on 26 May and Gay is also set to compete in the New York equivalent on 11 June as the trio prepare for the world championships in South Korea in August and September.
"This year is most definitely about preparing for the world championships and these two meets [London and Birmingham] will be an important part in that process," Powell said.
"Going head-to-head with Tyson last year in Gateshead reminded us of the great rivalry we have had over the years and I'm not scared to put myself up against him; we drive each other on.".
The Birmingham meeting is the ninth event of this year's 14-race Diamond League series that starts in Doha on 6 May and it replaces last year's Gateshead event, although London provides Powell with his fondest memories.
"I have only run in Birmingham once before but, if it is like London, I know there will be a lot of Jamaican fans coming to support us. It's because of this support that running in the UK always feels like being at home."
Powell, gold medallist in the 4x100 metres relay at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, ran the fastest time on British soil five years ago in Gateshead, clocking 9.77sec.
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