BEIJING, Aug 11, 2008 (AFP) - The sooner the 100 metres starts the better for America’s world champion Tyson Gay who Monday declared himself ready for what is likely to be one of the highlights of the Games.
The 26-year-old added he was 100 percent fit after recovering from a hamstring injury which he suffered in the 200m at the US Olympic trials in early July.
However, despite not racing competitively since then - he went to Munich for treatment and rehabilitation - Gay professed himself happy to be going into the ‘blue riband’ event without a race under his belt in over a month.
This despite having to face world record holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica and the former world record holder and another Jamaican Asafa Powell.
The sooner the better,'' said Gay, who broke the US 100m record in the US trials semi-finals. I’m ready for it. Friday and Saturday and I am done.’’
Gay, who is coached by former track star Jon Drummond, the self-professed ‘Clown Prince of the Track’, admitted he was feeling more nervous in comparison to last year’s world championships in Osaka, Japan.
I am more nervous this time because of the injury,'' he confessed. There was a little bit of a panic in my mind when I suffered the injury as it really hurt.
However, when I was laying on the ground it (the pain) eased up a bit. I was really upset because the same thing happened in 2004 and even though I was still at college I thought I could make the Olympic team. Memories came flooding back.’’
Gay, who celebrated his 26th birthday last Saturday - without cake but saying it was memorable because the Olympic torch was lit just after midnight on August 9 - insisted his fitness was more important than the fact he had not competed since the injury.
My hamstring is 100 percent. I've had four weeks to recover, undergo rehabilitation and light training,'' said Gay. I am not at all concerned that I haven’t got a race under my belt.
I would rather be 100 percent than risk it by being 88 percent fit. I have had a chance in practice to see where I am at and that was a confidence booster.
I am fully confident that the hamstring will hold up through four rounds of the 100m. I have no aches and no twitches,'' he said, adding he had undergone two dope tests since arriving at the Olympic Village - one blood and one urine. Gay, who will be watched by his daughter and no less than five other members of his family, said that to cure his nervousness there is one person he will always fall back on - his mum. When I feel nervous I call my mother,’’ said Gay.
She doesn't know a lot about track and field but she knows how to calm me down.'' Indeed Gay explained that his family had a lot to do with his gentle demeanour, which contrasts enormously to previous trashtalking American sprint stars such as Maurice Greene and Drummond himself. I believe that I don’t really have to put on an image or swagger,’’ said Gay.
I was raised like that. Sometimes you would be watching television with your parents and they would make a comment about a character that he was ‘cocky or he’s this’ and mum would say ‘you shouldn’t be like that’.’’