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EUGENE, Oregon: Tyson Gay served notice to Usain Bolt and Asafa
Powell that he is a world-record threat, becoming the third-fastest
runner in 100-meter history here Saturday even after slowing before
the finish.
World 100 and 200 champion Gay set an American
record of 9.77 seconds to win his 100 quarterfinal heat at the US
Olympic Track and Field Trials in stunning fashion. He now trails
only the Jamaican duo on the all-time performers list.
“I’m not worried about the record,” Gay
said. “I eased up a little bit. I had my arms in so I wasn’t
trying to exert too much energy.”
Bolt, whose world-record run of 9.72 beat Gay on
May 31 in New York, and Powell, whose 9.74 had been the world record
until the lightning Bolt struck, are the only faster 100 runners
than Gay.
After receiving a wake-up call with an earlier
qualifying blunder by slowing too soon, Gay could challenge the
world record in Sunday’s final, which will decide the three US
qualifiers for the Beijing Olympics.
But for all his sprint skills, Gay must reach
the podium Sunday or he will not reach a 100 showdown in Beijing
with Bolt and Powell, who qualified Saturday at the Jamaican trials.
Gay surged from the starting blocks and sped to
a quarterfinal victory with a legal wind of 1.6m/sec to break the
old US mark of 9.79 set by Maurice Greene at Athens in 1999, what
was then a world record.
“I thank God that I was able to run a PR, but
that’s what I want to do in the finals,” Gay said.
Gay pulled ahead and eased up 20 meters before
the finish in his qualifying heat but rivals caught him and he
placed fourth, advancing but not without a wake-up call and some
advice from coach Jon Drummond after a “boneheaded” move.
“After the first round, I was scared. I almost
started crying as soon as I crossed the line because I thought I
didn’t make it. I was pretty nervous,” Gay said.
“My coach told me, ‘Champions don’t do
that. Make it up in the next round.’”
Gay did and overshadowed the women’s 100
final, which went to Muna Lee in 10.85 with 2003 world champion
Torri Edwards second in 10.90, the same time as 2005 world champion
Lauryn Williams, who took the third and last Beijing berth.
-- AFP
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