With Usain Bolt breaking all the records and Tyson Gay hot on the Jamaican's heels, Spearmon often has been lost in their shadow despite his strong performances.

The four-time world championships medalist would like to think he's closing the gap on them, especially in his favorite event, the 200 meters.

And especially now, with the 2012 London Olympics right around the corner.

"When we first started off, there was Bolt, Tyson and myself. I beat them, they beat me," said Spearmon, a former University of Arkansas standout who's now training in College Station, Texas. "Depending on the weekend, you never knew who was going to win. Nowadays, when there's a race, it's, 'Bolt's going to win' or 'Tyson's going to win.' I feel like if I can just get healthy, I'll be right up there with the best of them."

Spearmon's cranking out laps in order to make up ground.

Only, those laps are in a pool, not around the track. Spearmon has been sidelined for nearly a month with a lingering left Achilles' tendon ailment that's crimped his training.

Swimming and weight lifting have pretty much been his only options to stay in shape.

"And I'm not the best swimmer in the world," Spearmon conceded.

But he's trying to become the best sprinter in the world.

It's a daunting task with his good buddy Bolt in the blocks next to him. The charismatic Jamaican is dominating the sport like never before, competing against the clock as much as fellow sprinters.

"No one's unbeatable," said Spearmon, a 200 specialist who occasionally dabbles in the 100. "But it's going to take a heck of a race to beat him."

The 26-year-old Spearmon thought he was on target this spring, turning in a strong showing at a meet in Jamaica in early May. He finished the 200 race in 20.18 seconds, just .23 seconds behind the Jamaican ¿ Nickel Ashmeade, that is, another up-and-comer from the Caribbean island, and not Bolt, who didn't compete. Around that time, Spearmon's Achilles' injury flared up.

"It's kind of scary so far because I'm not sure where I am in my training to be honest," said Spearmon, who recently began some light jogging.

He still plans to test his Achilles' in the 100 at the Adidas Grand Prix meet in New York on June 11, a race in which Gay also is scheduled to compete. Then, two weeks later, it's off to the U.S. championships in Eugene, Ore., for a race he needs to attend and run well to have any shot of qualifying for the world championships in Daegu, South Korea, later this summer.

Spearmon has traditionally fared well at worlds, capturing silver and two bronze medals in the 200, along with winning gold as a member of the 400 relay team in 2007, holding off a Jamaican squad that included Bolt.

He's also been front and center whenever Bolt has lowered the 200 world record.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Spearmon briefly took third, only to be disqualified for stepping outside of his lane, as Bolt finished in 19.30 to break Michael Johnson's 12-year-old mark.

A year later in Berlin, Spearmon took a distant third as Bolt burst across the line in 19.19.

Even with Bolt erasing chunks of time from records that normally take years to break, Spearmon's eager for another crack at his friend on a big stage ¿ Achilles' willing, of course.

"I don't know how right now, but I'm going to make the team (for worlds)," said Spearmon, whose lifetime best mark of 19.65 was set at the Daegu venue in 2006. "I refuse not to."

In his spare time, Spearmon has taken up tweeting. His posts are quite entertaining, ranging from takes on the NBA playoffs to his golf game.

Three months ago, Spearmon created a little drama with Tennessee Titans tailback Chris Johnson over the difference between track and football speed.

Johnson posted: "Boy they need to let me kno what's gonna happen with this NFL lockout cause if they do ima join the us track team."

Spearmon took the bait, pointing out to the Pro Bowler that sprinting was a different game, and that a good 40-yard time doesn't equate to a good 100-meter split.

Johnson's response: "Beat bolt then holla at me."

That's easier tweeted than done.

Should Spearmon accomplish that, he would make headlines.

"It wouldn't shock me," Spearmon said. "I never doubt myself. I've never raced for second place."

This spring, Spearmon took a plunge to scientifically prove a point: No one, not even Bolt, can run on water.

In a recent episode of "MythBusters," a show that tests the validity of things such as myths, rumors and movie scenes, Spearmon was called upon to see if someone could stride onto the surface of water. Running at full speed, Spearmon sprinted into the pond and promptly sank. "All I got was real wet," Spearmon said, laughing. "Still, it was my big break in TV." He also made the cover of an Eastbay athletic catalog, which was set up through his sponsor Saucony. Maybe it wasn't as prestigious as appearing on Sports Illustrated, like Bolt, but he was honored just the same. One of the fastest sprinters that few have heard of is receiving some publicity. That's the thing: In any other era, Spearmon could be the one making headlines. But Bolt draws all the notoriety, with Gay a close second. Spearmon is the fifth-fastest 200 runner of all time, but he's hardly mentioned in the same breath as Bolt or Gay. Once, maybe. And he's hoping maybe again. "My time is coming to show the world what I can do," Spearmon said.