Dashing Ahead
BEIJING 2008: Duncan Mackay explains how Asafa Powell’s failure to turn talent into gold medals looks like handing Tyson Gay the psychological advantage in Beijing
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THERE ARE still more than 100 days until the blue riband event of the Olympics in Beijing, the men’s 100 metres final, but is the world record holder, Jamaica’s Asafa Powell, already out of the running for the gold medal?
It seems ridiculous to write off so early a sprinter who has broken or equalled the world record on four occasions, even though he is currently suffering an injury that will stop him competing for two months, but Powell’s confidence is so fragile after failing to deliver on so many big occasions that he has consulted Britain’s former Olympic champion Linford Christie on how to succeed on the big occasion.
Powell’s failure to win the Olympics in 2004 and the 2007 World Championships, when he lined up for both as the favourite only to finish fifth and third respectively, has led to even Michael Johnson suggesting that the only way he can beat Tyson Gay, who beat him in Osaka last year, is “trip” him up. “Powell is a great talent but he can never get it done,” said Johnson, winner of five Olympic gold medals. “He’s failed time after time at the Championships.”
advertisementPinned back against a fence during the recent Mount Sac Relay meets in California by a group of overseas journalists, clearly wishing he could still be listening to his favourite sounds on the pair of giant earphones hung round his neck, Powell did not cut the imposing figure that you associate with the world’s top sprinter.
His confidence had not been helped by having earlier had to watch Gay, his biggest rival, produce a storming final leg in a specially arranged 4x100m relay in which Powell had also been due to compete. But a shoulder injury suffered when weight training a few days earlier had ruled him out. Gay in contrast, had exuded confidence when facing the press.
“I know people are saying I can’t match up at the major championships, but God decided it just wasn’t my time yet,” said the 25-year-old Powell. "My time will come around and I’ll be every happy. I just have to be patient and go to these Olympics and do what I’m supposed to do when I get there.
“It would be great if I could get a gold medal along with a world record. All the great sprinters have Olympic and World Championship gold medals, so I want to be up there with them with my world records and a few gold medals.”
Laid back and fitting the Jamaican stereotype, Powell bridled only once when it was suggested that he is running sacred of Gay. “I’m not afraid of nobody,” he said, fixing his inquisitor with a menacing stare.
But Powell admitted that he is unable to explain his failure to win at the World Championships last year when Gay claimed one of three gold medals, matching the achievement of Maurice Greene in 1997. “After Osaka it was like I didn’t understand what had gone on,” said Powell. “I was a little bit surprised because when I went out there I was very, very confident. When I crossed the finishing line and saw I wasn’t the winner I was very shocked and I didn’t know how to react.”
There was clearly nothing physically wrong with Powell because a few weeks after the championships he lowered his own world record from 9.77 to 9.74.
Powell sought advice from Christie, the 1992 Olympic and 1993 world champion who was born in Jamaica. “Linford Christie told me it happened to the best of us and to remember that he once was the favourite to win and didn’t,” he revealed. “He told me to reflect on that and try to bounce back and come back on top.”
Christie was at the Mount Sac meeting, along with Greene, a reminder of the sport’s tarnished image. (big edit)
“I was very shocked and very surprised,” said Powell (in reference to accusations against Greene by Angel Heredia - no further comment please).
“It is still interesting to see what will come out of it. But it’s kind of disturbing when every day you hear something new. A lot of fingers are pointing in the wrong places right now.”
(edit)
Gay, 25, is insistent that he is clean and that his coach Lance Braumann would never suggest he take anything artificial. “He’s the type of coach who doesn’t get involved in vitamins, he doesn’t get involved in anything,” he said. “He’s the kind of guy who says take your ice bath and drink your water. That’s how he’s been coaching me since I was in college.”
Gay is planning to chase four gold medals in Beijing by adding the 4x400m relay to a programme that is already expected to include the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m. If he succeeds it would put him alongside Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis, who achieved the feat in 1936 and 1984 respectively.
“This is an Olympic year,” Gay said. "London 2012 isn’t promised to me, so this could be it. I’ll be almost 30 at that time. You never know when your chance is going to come around again. If there is a possibility that I could run the 4x400 relay at the Olympics, hey, I’ll do it.
“I don’t feel a lot of pressure. I still want to have some fun but I have a lot of motivation because I was supposed to make the team in 2004 but I cramped up in the finals and it really upset my mom. That was a big deal, but to come up short was frustrating. I want to make up for it in Beijing.”
If only Powell had such confidence.