By Frank Fitzpatrick
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(MCT)
BEIJING - Tyson Gay is the fastest man in America and perhaps its slowest talker. He doesn’t do anything rashly - except run. The 100 meters might be 10 seconds of tension and energy, but the U.S. record-holder is 165 pounds of calm humility.
I've never been the guy to put on a certain image just because I run the 100-meter dash,'' he said Monday. Basically, I’m the same person on and off the track. I just get a little more intense when the gun is shot.’’
The soft-spoken Kentuckian is so unlike the stereotype of the swaggering, shade-wearing sprinter that when Kobe Bryant stopped him in the athletes’-village gymnasium this week to ask about his readiness, Gay was starstruck.
I texted my mom right away,'' he said. I said, ‘Mom, Kobe Bryant asked about my leg!’ She was shocked as well. It was amazing.’’
Gay turned 26 just as the Olympic cauldron was being lit. Just four days before qualifying begins in what might be the greatest Olympic 100-meter field ever, Gay was typically relaxed, patiently and carefully answering questions from reporters for 55 minutes.
The most important words he spoke from the stage of the Main Press Center’s main conference room were his first. Thirty-seven days after a hamstring injury left him writhing in pain on an Oregon track, Gay said he was healthy again.
My hamstring is 100 percent,'' he said. It took about four weeks.’’
Still, should Gay, the 2007 world champion in both the 100 and 200, make it to Saturday’s final at the National Olympic Stadium, he will not have raced competitively for more than a month. And hamstrings are to a sprinter what eyes are to an archer.
I'd rather be 100 percent going into the Olympics than 85 percent with some races under my belt,'' Gay said. I had a good chance in practice to see where I’m at, and that kind of gave me a confidence boost.’’
He will need his confidence, his health, his calm, and maybe a little luck against a 100-meter field that also will include the past and current world-record holders in Asafa Powell (9.74) and Usain Bolt (9.72). Only the two Jamaicans have run faster than the 9.77 Gay recorded at the U.S. trials last month in Eugene, Ore.
At those trials, Gay recorded the fastest 100 ever, though his 9.68 was declared wind-aided.
Then, six days later, while attempting to qualify in the 200, Gay grabbed his hamstring and fell. He disappeared almost immediately, skipped an Olympic tune-up in Europe and the U.S. team’s training session, and traveled to Germany.
There he rehabilitated, worked out, and was treated by Munich’s Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfarth, the favorite orthopedist of European soccer stars.
He has a lot of experience with hamstring injuries,'' Gay said. Gay flew to Beijing in time for Friday's opening ceremonies and has been working out with his coach, Philadelphia native Jonathan Drummond, at the U.S. training facility at Beijing Normal University. At least seven family members, including his mother, are with him in Beijing. They have helped Gay embrace his first Olympic experience. He posed for a photo with Bryant, who told the sprinter he'd keep him in his heart. He shared weightlifting tips with a gymnast. He has enjoyed the food and spent considerable time playing video games with teammates. He's also been drug-tested twice - once using urine and once blood, a first at these Games. He's one of several American athletes who have agreed to be tested as often as officials would like. I definitely understand that (suspicion) comes with the territory because past champions have tested positive,’’ Gay said. That's why the Olympic champion must go out and prove himself as clean.'' But mostly, he said, he's been thinking about Friday and Saturday. His hamstring will have to endure four rounds in the 100 and probably efforts for the 400-meter relay team. I don’t feel any aches,’’ he said. I'm staying hydrated and taking care of my body. So I'm really confident that it's going to hold up.'' In keeping with his laid-back demeanor, Gay is happy to be flying a little under the radar for this race. He's convinced that Bolt might not be quite as relaxed. I don’t know how he’s thinking, but I’d assume it’s a lot of pressure he’s under, regardless of what anyone says,’’ Gay said. A Jamaican guy came up to me in the cafeteria yesterday and said, 'I hope you don't break up our 1-2 sweep.' I'm sure they're hearing the same from their coach.'' Bolt, the prerace favorite, beat Gay soundly in setting the world record in June, in New York. Gay is not talking about revenge. It's not in his character. He'd just like to run a fast time, take home a gold medal, and maybe make a little history in the process. A sense of history is important to me,’’ he said. But I would have to look at that after I won the gold medal. ... This is one of the hottest 100-meter races ever in history. There are three guys who have run 9.7; two more guys, 9.8. It’s amazing. Asafa is looking good, and Usain Bolt is looking great as well. I haven’t been on the track since (the trials), so I’m kind off in the background.’’
Which is exactly where Tyson Gay prefers to be.
I enjoy how everyone spells Wolfvheart’s name differently.
I’d love to see a 2-3 sweep by the Jamaicans. I will not miss that race, I know that much.
John
The Lakers are my team. Kobe’s my man. Gay loves the guy haha.