Gay believes he is fastest at any distance
Tyson Gay (right) wins the men's 100 meters final ahead of Trindon Holliday (center) and Leroy Dixon at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 22. Reuters |
The 24-year-old put on history's most impressive 100-200 meters show at the weekend in booking his trip to August's world championships in Osaka, Japan.
No sprinter has run 9.84 seconds for 100 meters and 19.62 seconds for the 200 in the same championships.
Only one man has run a faster 200 meters - world record holder Michael Johnson, who clocked 19.32 seconds for gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
"He will become the best 100-200 combination ever," sprint coach John Smith, the mentor of former 100 meters world record holder Maurice Greene and numerous Olympians, told Reuters after watching Gay at the US championships.
Statistically, Gay has already achieved that honor. His runs of 9.84 seconds in the 100 and 19.68 in the 200 last year pushed him past Namibian Frank Fredericks as the combined fastest in the two events.
The US championships only amplified Gay's hold on the honor.
The 100 meters run came into a headwind of 0.5 meters per second on Friday. Only Greene, in his 9.82-second dash to the 2001 world title, has run faster into a headwind.
On Sunday, Gay rushed through a slight headwind to his 19.62-second clocking in the 200 on a wet track.
"It was probably as perfect as it's going to be in these conditions," Gay said.
Family motivation
"After the prelims (on Saturday), I did not want to run, Gay said. "But my family is here and they motivated me, and I wanted to come out and do my best for them."
Gay's coach, Lance Brauman, was not present.
He is in prison on embezzlement, theft and mail fraud charges related to using student assistance funds at a Kansas community college to pay athletes, including Gay, for work they did not do. Gay was not charged.
Prior to leaving for prison in November, Brauman gave each of his athletes, including Gay and world 200 silver medalist Wallace Spearmon, notebooks with their workout schedules.
The coach and his athletes also talk by phone, Gay said. They cannot call him, however. Brauman must initiate calls.
He was scheduled to watch Gay's races on television.
Record challenge
Gay also has turned to retired sprinter Jon Drummond, an exceptional starter who won Olympic relay gold, for assistance.
"From where he was, it was a 180 (degrees improvement)," Drummond said.
"Tyson never lacked speed or turnover. He just had a lot of technical flaws," Drummond said of the former collegiate champion whose best global showing is fourth in the 200 at the 2005 world championships.
Now, Drummond said, "I would not be surprised if he ran 9.6 (in the 100), not at all. If anyone is going to do it, he has the potential."
Before the national championships, Gay proved he could challenge Jamaican Asafa Powell's 100 meters world record of 9.77 seconds.
He blitzed to a time of 9.79 seconds with an assisting wind in May, then clocked 9.76 in early June but was denied a world record because of an aiding wind.
"I believe I can run 9.73 (seconds) or faster," Gay said.
When Gay will first meet Powell this season is unclear.
Gay's first scheduled race in Europe is a 200 meters at Lausanne on July 10. He is also considering a 100 or 200 at Sheffield on July 15.
European promoters no doubt will be seeking other races after the past weekend.
"He's not big, but is strong for his size," said Smith of the 1.83 meter, 73 kg Gay.
"Tyson's maturity also is impressive", said collegiate coach Pat Henry, who will guide the US men at the worlds.
"He has done a great job of running fast and staying healthy and knowing when he has got to be at his best," Henry told Reuters.
"He is probably prepared to meet any challenge that is thrown at him," he added.
"He has the potential to run very, very fast."
Agencies
(China Daily 06/27/2007 page23)
