Johnson: Gay better than Powell
Eurosport - Tue, 29 Apr 20:32:00 2008
Jamaican 100 metres world record holder Asafa Powell is not the world’s best sprinter, according to retired 200 and 400 record holder Michael Johnson.
In his opinion the honour goes to American world champion Tyson Gay.
“I measure sprinters based on consistency and [Gay] is the more consistent,” Johnson said. “He’s got better performances at [major] championships.”
Gay is the world 100 and 200 metres champion.
“Asafa Powell is a great talent but he can never get it done,” he added. “He’s failed time after time at the championships.”
Powell’s world record of 9.74 seconds is a 10th of a second faster than Gay’s best of 9.84 but the Jamaican has never won a global sprint title. That will not change in Beijing, according to Johnson.
Asked how Powell could win 100 metres gold at the Beijing Games in August, Johnson replied jokingly: “Trip Tyson Gay.”
He made the comment before Powell’s manager announced the Jamaican would not compete again until late June because of a pulled pectoral muscle.
Johnson also predicted Gay would win the 200 in Beijing to match his 2007 world championship sprint double.
Gay will test his 200 metres speed for the first time this season on Saturday at the Jamaican International meeting in Kingston.
Gay also has talked of trying for Olympic gold in both the 4x100 metres and 4x400 metres relays, but Johnson said the latter would not happen.
“Tyson is very talented but there is no way he can make the US 4x4 [team].”
Reuters