FOR young Illawong sprinter Jarrod Geddes it was the race of a lifetime . . .
Just to win selection in the senior 4 x 100 metres Australian men's relay team was a buzz.
Then, he discovered he was racing the last (fourth) leg against Usain "Lightning" Bolt, the world's fastest man!
Geddes, the Australian Under-20s champion and fellow NSW athlete Tim Leathart joined Victorian Josh Ross and Andrew McCabe (Qld) in the weekend's Anniversary Games Diamond League meet at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.
It was a major step up in class for the teenager, who last ran internationally at the world youth (Under 18) championships more than two years ago.
"We only had a two-day preparation together as a relay team doing some exchanges straight off the plane, we were in good flat speed shape and all we had to do was nail our exchanges," said Geddes, 18, from London.
"I really didn't know what to expect when I got out there.
"I was privileged to get the spot to run so that gave me lots of motivation.
"Running against Usain Bolt is only something that you dream of as a kid, but that's the main reason I'm down at the track every day working hard to get opportunities and experiences like this.
"I was very excited to have him running last, as the crowd around the last exchange was insane, and I wasn't able to hear a thing.
"Once I got that baton, all I had to worry about was getting to that finish line quickly as possible . . . and that's what I did."
Geddes brought the Aussie team home in fourth in an excellent 38.71 seconds, less than a second behind Bolt's Jamaican team (37.75), with France second in 38.45sec and Canada third (38.58sec).
Geddes added: "I hope it's one of many chances to race the world's best now."
It could well be soon, because young Geddes has gone into camp at Tonbridge with the Australian Athletics team in preparation for this month's World Championships in Moscow.
