If Justin Gatlin could not find a way past Usain Bolt in Beijing, it's almost impossible to imagine how he could turn the tables on the remarkable Jamaican sprinter at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Bolt arrived in the Chinese capital looking more vulnerable than at any other stage during his seven-year reign.
He had only raced sparingly in 2015 due to a troublesome pelvic injury and there were grave doubts he would even make it to the world titles.
Gatlin, the 33-year-old American who has served two doping bans, topped the world rankings in the 100m and 200m.
When the unpopular American dominated the 100m semi-finals last Saturday, it seemed he finally had the Jamaican's measure.
But no-one told Bolt.
He mowed down a faltering Gatlin in the shadow of the line to win the 100m final by one hundredth of a second and then back up with a much more comprehensive victory in 19.55 seconds in the 200m on Thursday night, with the American again relegated to the silver-medal position.
Once more, a sport battered by the spectre of doping produced a huge sigh of relief.
Bolt has now claimed 11 of the past 12 major championships sprint crowns, with his only miss coming when he false-started in the 100m final at the 2011 world titles in Daegu.
Bolt crossed the finish line in the 200m waving his index finger in triumph.
"What I really celebrated was, Justin Gatlin said earlier in the week that he was going to bring out something special for the 200 metres," Bolt said.
"I was like, 'You don't talk about my 200 metres like that'.
"I had to prove to him that I am No.1.
"It's a big deal.
"It means a whole lot to me - maybe some doubted but there was never a doubt to me.
"The only worry I had that I wasn't really sharp, but I just got better the more I ran."
The Jamaican will be chasing a third Olympic sprint double at next year's Rio Olympics and now - more than ever - it's hard to see who is standing in his way.
Gatlin will be 34 by then and Bolt reckons he could have run much faster in the Beijing 200m final if he had been pushed harder - somewhere in the low 19.3s.
"But one of my goals is to run under 19 seconds," he said.
"So if I want to run that, I have to really push myself next season."
Gatlin admitted that age was a factor in Beijing.
"I feel tired. Going through three 100s and three 200s is taxing on the body," he said.
"I'm the oldest person in the field and am still running and running pretty well.
"To be able to run 9.74 (in Doha in May) is a really good showing.
"I gave it all I could give."
The only person who caused Bolt any trouble at the Bird's Nest on Thursday night was a cameraman riding a Segway who accidentally knocked the super sprinter over as he posed for post-event photos.
"He took me out," joked Bolt.
"The rumour I'm trying to start right now is that Justin Gatlin paid him off, so that's what I'm going with. But I'm all right so it's all good."
Gatlin quipped back: "I want my money back. He didn't complete the job."
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