Tyson Gay wearing his US team uniform at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (© Getty Images)
World 100m and 200m champion Tyson Gay hasn’t run a competitive step since he pulled up injured in his second round heat at the US Olympic Trials on 5 July while attempting to qualify for the 200m squad for Beijing 2008.
At a USATF press conference in Beijing yesterday (11), Gay who celebrated his 26th birthday on 9 August, the day after the Games opened, was in confident mood about the 100m which he will race.
"When Bolt ran 9.72, I realised that I had to run a 9.6 to beat him and that's what I trained my mind to do," said Gay. "The record can go and the guys can go '9.6'," Gay added. "I did it with a lot of wind but I feel I can go there without wind. This is one of the hottest 100s in history, there hasn't been as much hype about it for a long time."
In the Trials 100m quarterfinal, Gay crossed the finish line in 9.77 seconds (+1.6m/s) to break Maurice Greene's American record of 9.79, and in the final clocked 9.68 seconds (4.1m/s).
Gay, who suffered a cramp in his left leg in the 200m qualifying rounds, commented in the latest of his regular blogs – Tyson Talks – on his website that “my training is going great. One of my last hard track workouts was today (8) and even though the track was wet and weather not that good, it was just what I wanted.”
“The High Performance Center that the USOC has created for American athletes is amazing. It has anything me and the rest of the American athletes need. Track facilities, weight room, physios, food, TV, internet and even video games to help pass the time and relax and have fun.”
And what a prospect we look forward to when the first round of the men’s 100m begins at 9.45hrs Beijing time (GMT+8hrs) on Friday 15 August, Caribbean vs the States, as current and former World record holders Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell of Jamaica attempt to unseat Gay from his position as the world’s best championship performer of recent years.
But Gay seems to be coping with growing expectations in his usual calm and relaxed manner despite the question marks regarding his fitness.
“This is my first Olympic Games and I want to try and experience as much as I can without forgetting why I am here. I arrived in China less than a week ago but have adjusted to the time and the ways things happen here already.”
“Off the track, the highlight for me so far has been the Opening Ceremony. I wasn’t sure whether I should go to them. Of course, I want to get rest and do all that I can to make sure I race well but I didn’t want to miss the Opening because you never know if you will get another chance. Man...I made the right decision. It was one of the best times I’ve had in my life.”
“Walking into the stadium was something I won’t ever forget.”
Chris Turner for the IAAF
