Tyson Gay catching Bolt

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Second-fastest man in history plots to turn tables on Bolt

Tyson Gay focuses on new 100m world record during anticipated summer of showdowns with big rival

By Simon Turnbull, Athletics Correspondent

Friday, 30 April 2010

They met just once on the track last year – in the 100m final at the World Championships in Berlin – and their paths will cross again tomorrow at the Jamaica International meeting in Kingston. The world will have to wait a little while yet, though, to see the same kind of sparks fly that Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt generated when they went head-to-head in the German capital last August.

Back then in Berlin, Gay clocked 9.71 seconds, an American record for the 100m, while Bolt blitzed to a 9.58sec world record. Tomorrow in Kingston, they will be racing apart: Gay in the 400m, Bolt in the 200m. Nevertheless, the two heavyweights of the sprint game are gearing up for some big match-ups to come on the IAAF’s new Diamond League circuit. The pair have already been contracted to a 100m showdown in Brussels on 26 August and two other confrontations are expected. The talk of the track suggests New York in June and Crystal Palace in August but there has been no confirmation as yet.

What is beyond doubt is that Gay, having had his thunder stolen since his 100m-200m double at the World Championships in Osaka in 2007, is taking steps to catch up with “The Lightning Bolt”. For one thing, following the disruption to his preparations for last summer’s World Championships, he has undergone surgery to correct a groin injury. For another, the 27-year-old American has re-tuned his thinking so that the figures he has in mind for the 100m this year are in line with those that his 23-year-old Jamaican rival achieved ahead of him in Berlin.

Gay did the same last winter, after watching Bolt run 9.69sec to win Olympic gold in Beijing, and at the end of the 2009 season he clocked 9.69sec in Shanghai – a 0.02sec improvement on his Berlin performance. “I’ve already programmed my mind to run faster,” he said yesterday, speaking from his training base in Orlando, Florida. “I’m thinking of 9.58sec or faster this year.”

Might it not have been better for the native Kentuckian, though, if Bolt had not been around? After all, he would be standing apart as the fastest man of all-time, the next quickest at 100m being Bolt’s compatriot, Asafa Powell, with 9.72sec. “I’m very thankful that Usain Bolt is running as fast as he is because he’s pushing me to run faster and faster,” Gay maintained. "It’s a huge motivation for me and it’s a huge thing for the sport. It’s something that track and field needs.

“The last time we ran against each other – Usain, myself and Asafa – was in Berlin and I think this year is going to be really exciting for the fans. I think when we hook up together the world record could go down.”

The outdoor track season has barely started and yet already Gay has one notable achievement under his belt. Making a rare venture over 400m in Gainesville, Florida, two weeks ago, he improved his lifetime best from 45.58sec to 44.89sec, becoming the first sprinter to break 10sec for 100m, 20sec for 200m and 45sec for 400m. “I wasn’t aware of that until someone told me a few days ago,” he said. "I was pretty shocked that I ran 44sec. I was just hoping for a strong work-out.

“My groin has recovered 100 per cent since the surgery but I’ve been taking things slowly. That race is the only time I’ve worn spikes and I haven’t started on any speed work yet. I’m hoping to do things the Michael Johnson way: the way he had the strength in the 400m and dropped his times down in the shorter races from there.”

After tomorrow’s 400m in Kingston, Gay will be in Manchester a fortnight on Sunday chasing the clock at half the distance in the Great City Games. He hopes to break the world record time for a 200m run on a straight track: 19.5sec, clocked by Tommie Smith in San Jose in 1966.

The all-time American track and field great, who famously performed a Black Power salute after winning the 200m at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968, has been invited by the Manchester organisers to watch Gay attack his 44-year-old record on a specially constructed track on Deansgate.

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That race is the only time I’ve worn spikes and I haven’t started on any speed work yet. I’m hoping to do things the Michael Johnson way: the way he had the strength in the 400m and dropped his times down in the shorter races from there."

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I wonder if Smith would think, “now if this were a cinder track…”

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assuming he passes through 150m in 14.4x i think tyson could run 19.3x maybe 19.2x. And then if he were to pass through 150m in 14.3x i guess he’d prob hold on for(visual rig) 19.1x maybe even 19.0x

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I was wondering whether he might be thinking of an assault on the Olympic 400m in London because: (a) Bolt won’t go to 400 until after London, if ever; b) that tool Merritt is out until just before London and may be underdone if he’s even still in the game; c) Tyson has the short speed to make the kind of impression theoretically that people have been predicting Bolt could make at 400m.

The only thing I can see weighing against Gay shocking at 400m is that his asset is stride rate rather than length, so perhaps there is a question of economy in Tyson’s case. But Michael Johnson appeared to have a stride patterning which owed more to rate than length and he did OK at 400m as well as 200m.

I wonder if Tyson runs something a bit special in Jamaica - say, down around 44.4, whether he might come to the realisation that if he is ever to win an individual Olympic gold medal it might well be in the 400?

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Interesting thought.
As you mentioned, with Merrit likely to be underdone, and Wariner possibly out of sorts (has done his usual hammy pre season again), the door could be opened for Tyson.

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Thursday, 29 April 2010 Tyson Teleconference Highlights – IAAF Diamond League

Tyson Gay comes through strong at the end to defeat Asafa Powell in the men’s 100m in Thessaloniki (Getty Images)

relnews 29 April 2010 - Tyson Gay (USA), the 2007 double sprint World champion and the second fastest man in history in the 100m and one of 14 IAAF Diamond League Ambassadors, participated in a media conference call this afternoon.

Gay, who clocked 9.69 to take silver at the World Championships last year, has already confirmed his participation in the IAAF Diamond League meetings in Eugene and Brussels. He will race next at the Jamaica Invitational in Kingston on Saturday, where he will run the 400m.

Some of the teleconference highlights:

On his 44.89 personal best in the 400m (17 April), which made him the first and only sprinter to break the 10-second barrier in the 100m, the 20-second barrier in the 200m and the 45-second barrier in the 400m:

I didn’t realize that I did that until a friend told me. It just happened, I wasn’t planning to run sub-45.

How serious are you with the 400? Are you striving to one day earn a relay spot? Or to challenge in the open 400?

I’ve always had it in me to run a fast 400. I was a state champion in high school in the 400. But I never liked doing it. And my coach told me that if I ran the 400 I wouldn’t be able to do the 100. And I do like running the 100 more. But it’s definitely a goal to make a relay team.

Does he think that his improved speed in the 400 will help him close the gap on Usain Bolt’s 19.19 World record in the 200m? (Incidentally, Gay also has a personal best of 30.8, from a training run, in the 300m.)

I’m trying to find the Michael Johnson way. I have more foot speed than Michael Johnson but I didn’t have his kind of strength. So my goal is to take my strength in the 400 and convert it to 200.

Based on the IAAF event scoring tables, his combined times in the three sprints leaves him behind only Usain Bolt and Michael Johnson. At the moment, Johnson is only four points ahead. Is that a motivation for him?

Anytime you can be mentioned with Usain Bolt and Michael Johnson in the same category is great. I’m going to work for those four points soon!

What does his 44.89 indicate for his season opener in the short sprints?

It relates to it pretty well. I opened up with 45 last year in the 400, then I opened up with 19.5 in the 200. So I think I should be able to open up as fast or faster.

On racing his main rivals, Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, on a regular basis this year in IAAF Diamond League competition:

It’s very exciting! The last time the three of us raced was in (the World Championships final) Berlin and that was a great race. It will be really excited for the fans if they can see a race like that again, and again, and again.

On ‘tuning his mind’ to run fast times:

I do absolutely. Even before Usain Bolt ran 9.69 (at the 2008 Olympics), that was one of my goals. Now I’m training my mind to run even faster.

On running in the same era as Usain Bolt:

It’s a huge motivational factor. If it wasn’t for Usain Bolt I wouldn’t have so many fans and family and friends telling me to keep working hard. He’s helped make track and field now. I’m very thankful that he’s running the times he’s running.

He’s competing in the Jamaica Invitational on Saturday in the 400m. Will he be out on the town with Usain Bolt the night before?

(Laughs) I’m actually nervous. When I ran the fast 400 a few weeks ago it was in a small collegiate meet. I’ll have a lot of professional 400 runners in the field on Saturday. So I’m just going to rest and focus on the race.

Off the track, what is his relationship like with Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell?

It’s cool. We actually have a very respectful relationship. It’s a mutual respect for each other and we’ve brought a lot to the sport together.

On his injury setbacks which affected his 2008 and 2009 season:

I think these things happen for a reason. I think these things are setting me up for a great comeback.

I’m 100 per cent right now.

I’m completely pain-free right now. Even when I ran 44 I felt no pain whatsoever.

With the best sprinters meeting regularly in the IAAF Diamond League could the 100m World record be broken this year?

Anything’s possible.

2006 was my best year when I was injury-free, and I was racing Asafa regularly, and I was running really well. So I think this year the World record could come down.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

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KK, so what would a guy like Merritt do if he is out for 2 years. Should he train just as hard and enter any local meets that he could to stay in shape and competitive?

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You know something, it could be true. Even Charlie/KK said the special endurance workouts are the most important.

So when he says speed work, maybe he’s only talking about stuff like 4x30.

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My understanding is Merritt is ineligible for the Olympics in London. Didn’t the IOC pass a rule after Beijing that anyone who recieved a ban between Olympic Games were consequently ineligible for the next Olympics.

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I give Gay credit for running fast times but Bolt always seems a step aheadtime is running out for Gay. Gay might run 9.51 but then watch bolt drop a 9.45 lol. I honestly never thought gay would go faster than 9.8-9.9 he had talent but he was never the most talented comming up in the 100m and 200m.

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Does anyone know specifically what this surgery on Gay’s groin involved?

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Nagging groin injuries forced Gay out of the 200 at Berlin and led to his operation.

“I had pubalgia surgery. Basically it means both my groins were shredded and they had to get repaired,” Gay said.

“Some people call it sports hernia surgery, but mine was different. They actually cut both sides of my groin and re-stitched them back together.”

AFP Article

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400m Jamaica Invitational
Finals
1 Gay, Tyson United States OF 45.05
2 Gonzales, Jermaine Jamaica 45.22
3 Quow, Renny Trinidad And Tobago 45.64
4 Chambers, Ricardo Jamaica 45.83
5 Smith, Miles US Virgin Islands 45.92
6 Davis, Lancford Jamaica 45.93
7 Mason, Michael Jamaica 46.32
8 Thompson, Oral Jamaica 46.68