Injured Gay Withdraws From Brussels

100-meter World Champion Tyson Gay has officially pulled out of the 100-meter show down against Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt. He is still struggling from a sore hamstring.

Wilfried Meert, the meeting organiser in Brussels, told the event's official website: "Tyson Gay has everything to lose and nothing to gain.

It is a wise decision by Gay and his advisors to protect his career.

By Jay Hicks.

We Finally Get Bolt, Gay, and Powell In Brussels

The Golden League race from Belgium set to run on Friday at 2 p.m. EST.

After the long awaited 100-meter show down featuring the big three is finally going to happen. The wait was extended after Tyson Gay did not make the Olympic 100-meter final in Beijing. The fans and media will finally get a glimpse of the showdown between Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay, and Asafa Powell at Van Damme Stadium in Brussels, Belgium.

Sure, Tyson Gay is still working to get back to top form after his hamstring injury, but he is coming off a win at 200-meter (20.26) on Sunday at Gateheads, Great Britain.

Gay recently said, “looking forward to it” but “I'm not at 100% yet”. Making the race more compelling is that Asafa Powell just ran a personal best time of 9.72 and Usain Bolt put down 19.63.

The race is ripe for an upset. With the kind of times that Powell is capable of running in non-major race, Bolt will have to fight through fatigue and bring his big race in order to deliver a late season win.

The meet will be webcast live at Trackshark.

By Jay Hicks.

GB Grand Prix Instant Analysis - Tyson Gay Back On Track!

A number of runners competing in Gateshead, Great Britain had arrived in Beijing several weeks ago with gold on their mind, but things did not quite work out as they had originally planned.

The races in Aviva British Grand Prix for Lauryn Williams, Tyson Gay, Wallace Spearmon, and Asafa Powell were partly about exacting revenge but more about proving to themselves and the world that they are still great athletes despite the results in Beijing. The Olympic Games are history and each got back to having success in their own right.

He seems to be a decent enough guy. Despite inclement weather conditions Asafa Powell ran 9.87 in the cold rain.

Which provokes the idea that maybe Powell should employ the services of a sports psychologist. It might be money well spent considering that Powell ran 9.95 in the finals to place fifth in Beijing. He might regret it years from now if he does not exhaust all means to achieve at the highest level.

"Pretty easy, 9.87, I'm very happy," said Powell.

It was great to see the Tyson Gay of old win in 20.25, over OlympianWallace Spearmon (20.41). Gay did not make the highly touted 100-meter Olympic final after losing conditiong from the hamstring injury sustained at the Olympic Trials. Spearmon had locked up bronze medal in the 200-meter finals in Beijing, or so he had thought until learning that he had been disqualified after stepping on the line during the race.

"Getting the victory means a lot, it's nice to get a win under my belt," Gay told the BBC after the race.

Reflecting on his Olympic experience, Gay said: "It was very frustrating, I was going there to get the gold.

"It was tough to watch (Bolt), I know I would have given him a better race."

Lauryn Williams 11.24 won over the Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser (11.29) from Jamaica. Williams placed fourth in Beijing behind three Jamaicans. Later in the meet Williams won the 200-meters in 22.65.

She has nothing to prove and no regrets. Reigning World and Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu of Britain won the 400 meters, in an unimpressive 51.27 seconds.

Click here to watch the Universal Sports video on demand of the Aviva British Grand Prix track meet.

By Jay Hicks.

Tyson Gay Fails To Make 100-Meter Final

-Beijing- Analysis--Gay Runs Out of Time.

The hamstring held up for Tyson Gay through the rounds. However it was his conditioning that let him down in the semi-final heat.

He placed fifth in his heat by .02, knocking him out of the highly anticipated 100-meter final.

Gay's Olympic dreams went down with him on the track in Eugene at the U.S. Olympic Trials. This was his first competition since the injury, and Gay had only two weeks of practicing before heading to Beijing.

Gay is a warrior and ran as well as could be expected in this difficult set of circumstances. It was a simply a situation in which he ran out of time.

"I may have needed more races, but I don’t really have any excuses,’’ Gay said. "I'm pretty upset. I did my best and everyone knows I did," he went on to say.

By Jay Hicks.

Gay, Powell, and Bolt Breeze Through 100-meters Heats

-Beijing-Analysis-In Preparation For Saturdays Semi-finals and Finals.

For many of the sprinters, the first round of 100-meter heats, were a chance to shake off the rust. Many have not competed in at least two weeks and for Tyson Gay, it has been six weeks since he last ran at the U.S Olympic Trials.

The typical race strategy for champion racing is a combination of posturing and working on the different pieces of the race such as: the start and drive phase. Normally athletes do not like to show all of the stuff until the finals.

There were no major upsets in the morning, as The Big Three 100-meter runners easily made it through the first heat of the 100-meters rounds. Tyson Gay looked completely healed today as he was conserving energy and preparing for the next round ahead of him.

Times heated up a bit in the quarter-final heats that took place during the evening.

It appeared that Usain Bolt’s run of 9.92, was easy to him and that he burned very little energy. The world record holder maintains his status as the favorite to win gold, however history has shown that running the fastest times through the rounds is no guaranteed for victory in the finals. Veteran Darvis Patton (10.04) of the U.S. was second behind Bolt in that quarter-final heat.

Tyson Gay placed second in his heat (10.02), behind Former LSU runner Richard Thompson of Trinidad. In the final heat of the afternoon, Asafa Powell easily won in 10.02 seconds, followed closed by Walter Dix (10.08) of the U.S. placed.

By Jay Hicks.

The Winner Will Be The Fastest Human Ever

Is This The Biggest Race In History?

It’s hard to recall a race with as much anticipation as this 100-meter race. As most of the world knows a three-way race for gold will happen between Tyson Gay, Usain Bolt, and Asafa Powell. Without a question, they are three bone fide superstars of the sport.

This race has all of the makings of a mega sports attraction. It could not be hosted on a larger stage. The stature and hype of the Olympic Games by far exceeds that of the Super Bowl or the Soccer World Cup.

I am going to throw out a couple of names that can not be overlooked for this race. Former NCAA champion Walter Dix, should not be discounted in this race and my sleeper pick to medal. He maintains a low-profile, but Dix has actually won a number of big races in his career, albeit not on this large of a stage. He is under no pressure to win the race, which is a recipe for him to wreak havoc in the finals.

Darvis Patton is a relatively unknown fact by media standards. This 30-year-old veteran sprinter is running with a sense of urgency, knowing that more than likely he will not compete in another Olympic Games. Patton has made tremendous strides this season and making the medal stand would close out what has been so far, a brilliant season.

While the discussion of this race has been endless, here is something else to consider. There are four rounds of the 100-meters. Winning this glamorous event at the Olympics is much more about strength, rather than pure speed.

Who do you think will win gold? Below are the Prerace Jitters predictions for the finals of the 100-meters.

100-meter Predictions:

1. Tyson Gay, USA
2. Usain Bolt, Jamaica
3. Walter Dix, USA
4. Asafa Powell, Jamaica
5. Darvis Patton, USA

By Jay Hicks.

I Feel Good...

It is the news that the track world has been awaiting hear for some time now.

Tyson Gay has recently said, "I've gotten a lot of rest," Gay said. "Everybody knows I haven't raced since nationals. But I think it's been good for me."

That sounds great but eeeing is believing. So on Sunday, Tyson ran a full 100-meters in 10.00 in a workout. The time was run in humid conditions on a wet track and without starting blocks. My sources tell me that the workout at Normal University in Beijing was impressive in terms of qualify and in length.

Gay is looking to find his way back to the 9.68 seconds that he ran at the Olympic Trials six weeks ago. The wind reading was +4.1 which means the time is not eligible for record purposes.

Looking for things to be popping off on Friday in the first time of the 100-meters. The qualifiers will come back and run the second round again on Friday.

By Jay Hicks.

Sighted...

-Beijing--At the Opening Ceremonies on Friday, Tyson Gay walked with the U.S Olympic team at the Bird’s Nest. Which has to mean that man who has covered the 100-meters faster than any man in history is back.

It is a monumental feat since he went down on June 5 in the quarterfinal of the 200-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic Trials. The reigning 100 and 200-meter World Champion has not competed since experiencing a mild hamstring cramp in Eugene.

"Our first question to the doctor was 'Can [Gay] run in the Olympics?' '' said Jon Drummond, who is Gay’s co-coach.

Is is safe to surmise that Gay has fully recovered and ready to go?

The first round of the Olympic 100 meters is Friday, Aug. 15, with the final the next day.

By Jay Hicks.

13 Athletes To Keep Your Eyes On In Beijing

Winning a gold or medaling for that matter, means different things to different athletes. For some it is vindication of their journey, others it is about joining Olympic history and still for some athletes winning an Olympic gold medal can mean financial security for the their lives.

Will the situation be too much for some athletes or will we see a glorious triumph that sends a nation rocking. Think Cathy Freeman mesmerizing performance. Or Michael Johnson's iconic moment in Atlanta.

We took the time to gather 12 athletes you should watch during the Olympics.

Allyson Felix, 200-meters, U.S., – What can’t this daughter of a Baptist preacher accomplish? She skipped collegiate track and field altogether instead she opted to turn pro while at the same time taking a full courses load to graduate from USC in four years. This past December she graduated with a degree in education.

She is almost as well known for her beaming style and telegenic looks as she is for long strides that have carried her to the top of the track world. Allyson is the heavy favor to win the 200-meters.

Asafa Powell, 100-meters, Jamaica – He is the sprinter formerly known as the World’s Fastest Man until countryman Usain Bolt broke his world record with a time of 9.72 seconds in the 100-meters in New York City.

He has not won a major championship up until this point and Beijing is his chance to quiet his critics, which is pretty much anyone with a computer and a mouse, on the subject. This from a man who admitted that he tightened up in finals of the World Championships last year.

Can Powell claim the title again after being the events leading men over the last several seasons?

Tyson Gay, 100-meters, U.S.– The U.S. best hope to win the 100-meters is this silent sprint giant. Gay is the fastest of them all. He ran 9.68 at the Olympic Trials final, but is not considered for a world record because wind reading (+4.1) exceeded the allowable limit. The lingering question of course is whether the reigning 100 and 200-meter World Champion is 100% when the gun goes off for the first round of the 100-meters in Beijing.

The crowd at the U.S Olympic Trials in Eugene watched in dismay, as he strained his hamstring and fell to track while trying to qualifying for the 200-meters. Gay’s dream of competing in the 200-meters was gone. He did not complain about the Olympic Trials process or linger on the fact he will not be able to run the 200-meters at the Olympics.

Usain Bolt, 100-meters Jamaica – His name is an easy set up for his nickname “Lightning” Bolt. Bolt lays claim to the fastest time in the world and is one of the sports most intriguing figures.

The 6 foot, 5 inch, charismatic Jamaican has been known as a “200 man” for all of his professional career. Bolt took up the 100-meters and then set the new World Record of 9.74 in just his second outing of the season. The question is whether he can beat seasoned vets in Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell when it really, really counts.

Jeremy Wariner, 400-meters, U.S.: The most dominant sprinter over the last four years is back to the Olympics with a goal to be the second person in history to win a two gold medals in the 400. The first person is his mentor and agent, Michael Johnson, whose world record of 43.18 he is also chasing.

This time around Wariner has a new coach, a new rival in LaShawn Merritt, and media circus following his every move to determine if he walks differently now that he is no longer with long time coach Clyde Hart. Wariner is focused, determined, and sensational when it count but now he will need deliver his best performance ever to win.

Pamela Jelimo, 800-meters, Kenya: Kenyan teenager Pamela Jelimo is poised complete her rise to the top of the game in Beijing. In high school Jelimo competed in the 400-meters and her experience in the 800 goes back a whole four months.

Every games has a phenom that takes the world by story. Jelimo has run the fastest time the event has seen in 11 years. In one of her European races she finished four seconds in front of the second place competitor. Will she solidify her status as the '08 kid wonder?

Bryan Clay, Decathlete, US: Bryan Clay is probably the world’s best male athlete that no one has heard of. He surpassed the U.S. Olympic Trials record in putting down 8,832 points in June. Clay could probably go to a restaurant today without being recognized as one of the best male athletes in the world.

David Oliver, 110-hurdles, U.S.: – Looking like you could be a hit man albeit a very nice one is not a requirement to be contender in the hurdles. The 6 foot, 3 inches Denver native arrived as a freshman at Howard University to play football. During his tenure at the historically black university he developed into an elite hurdler.

It would be easy to call his rise to U.S. Olympic Trials champion could easily be mislabeled as an overnight success. It has been old school hard work and elbow grease under the tutelage of coaching legend Brooks Johnson. Oh, it doesn’t hurt that he comes from good stock. One day in high school he came across a bunch of medals displaying his mother’s name. His mother Brenda Chambers ran hurdles at George Washington and Colorado and competed in Beijing in 1980 for the U.S. National Team and at the 1980 Olympic Trials. Twenty eight years later her son is slated to taking the blocks in Beijing. Can this all come circle for David and Brenda?

Lolo Jones, 100 hurdles, U.S.:– She may not appear on Forbes list of highest paid professional athletes, but she doesn’t have to worry about paying her bills anymore. After failing to qualify for the 2004 Olympic team Jones hit some rough financial times. Without a shoe contract Lolo had to take up jobs as an outdoor cashiers job at Home Depot in sweltering Louisiana and a waitress job at a Cajun restaurant.

Those realities are long behind her. Today Jones receives support from sponsors Asics and Oakley which have allowed Jones to focusing on hurdling. She would have broken Gail Devers American record had the wind reading been over the allowable limit in winning the Olympic Trials. She is the 2008 World Indoor Champion and hasn’t lost a race since gas was less than $3.00 a gallon.

Liu Xiang, 110 Hurdles, China: Xiang’s is such a valuable cultural asset to the People’s Republic that in ’07 his legs were insured for $13.7 million. Little did anyone know at the time that the 2004 Olympic gold champion would have been one of the most rarely seen athletes on the international track scene.

His health status is still a mystery. He did not race at the Prefontaine Classic and then was disqualified for a false start at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York City. Since then he has been away in training and has not been scene much in public. Coming into the season he was considered the hands down favorite to win goal but that was before Cuba’s Dayron Robles broke Xiang’s World Record in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

If the pressure was not enough, things have certainly been kicked up a notch especially considering Xiang is probably China’s best hope for gold.

Lopez Lomong, 1,500, U.S.: His journey has taken him thousands of miles, he has been to hell and back and has been the journey has littered with obstacles the entire way.

He had near death experiences in Sudan, he was imprisoned, and he lived in a refugee camp before even making it to the United States. Lomong fought through a gimp foot in Eugene to qualify for at the Olympic Trials and now he is living the American dream. There will be millions cheering for this young man to reach Olympic glory.

Sanya Richards, 400-meters, U.S.: The charismastic 23-year-old star has done everything in the sport except win Olympic. Sanya was the youngest person to run under 49 seconds and she has won every national and international championship until the 2007 brought an unforeseen medical challenge. Richards was diagnosed with Behcets syndrome a rare condition that attacks the immune system. Her tongue became so swollen

Bernard “Kip” Lagat, 1,500-meters, U.S.: The U.S. has not won a 5,000-meter medal in a generation and Lagat is the nation’s answer to the medal drought. The Kenyan born runner has won Olympic medals for his native country but will compete for the U.S in Beijing. known for his trademark kick, Lagat that has reeled in some of the world’s top middle distance runners. Lagat’s

Kip became the first man in the sport to win the 1,500 and 5,000 meters in gutsy, dominating performance in Osaka last year. He is doing the double in Beijing.

By Jay Hicks.

Tyson Gay’s ESPN The Magazine Feature Story Now On Newsstands

ESPN The Mag has produced arguably the best articles on Tyson Gay that I’ve seen in the lead up to the Beijing Olympic Games.

The issue hit newsstands on Monday and features an exclusive story “Ladies Man,” about Tyson Gay that was written by Luke Cyphers. The piece explores the three invaluable women in his life: Veronica Campbell-Brown, Daisy Gay Lowe, and Tiffany Gay.

An exclusive feature piece of this magnitude is typically reserved for Lebron, Tiger, or Shaq. Cyphers holds nothing back as he fills in the blanks where most pieces on track and field figures typically leave off.

Tyson Gay heads to Beijing to contend for Olympic gold after winning the 100-meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

As ESPN tells us:

"He'd be getting off the bus when a girl he'd always looked up to would challenge him to a race and beat him, yet again. Or he'd be on his couch, whiling away a sticky Kentucky summer in front of the TV and a woman he always looked up to would push him out the door to run the hills behind their house. Or he'd be staring at his lane on the track, whiling away the minutes between training sprints on a hot Arkansas afternoon—no coach to tell him what to do, no telling what would become of his career—and a young woman he'd always looked up to would give a nod, and they'd line up and work on his start again. And when one of his million-dollar legs betrayed him, when four years of work seemed to evaporate in a painful instant, the women he always looked up to were there to stop the tears, to let him know things would work out. To reassure him that there's always a reason.”

This feature story on Tyson Gay is now on newsstands now or can be found at ESPN.com.

By Jay Hicks.

Tyson Gay A Throw Back To Greatness!

It must have been the hot gear.

In sports, uniforms and shoes make the man, right? The times and performances may be tough to compare from different eras because the track surfaces and training sciences continually improve over the years. There is constant in sports and track for that matter: the gear.

We know what you are thinking, how did the athlete look performing the time?

Of course, at the U.S. Olympic Trials earlier this month, Tyson Gay ran in throw back uniforms. During the 100-meter rounds, Gay introduced a white uniform with red and blue stripes in a tribute to 1936 Olympic star Jesse Owens. He successfully executed a wardrobe change--for the finals he rocked a royal blue body suit with red and white diagonal stripes across the front.

The photo to the left is of Jesse Owens wearing the original uniform at the 1936 Olympic Games, where he won four gold medals in the 100, 200, long jump, and 4x100 relay team while defeating Hitler and Nazi Germany.

Was it the shoes that propelled him to 9.68 seconds?

Tyson’s gear certainly appealed to historically-minded fans. The 2007 World Champion at 100 and 200-meters, also sported a custom designed spike that were also inspired by Jesse Owens called “The Trinity.” The spike is named for Tyson’s daughter and it has another synergy as Gay is known for his strong religious beliefs.

It includes an X on the heel, reflecting the adidas Olympic heritage and the name Trinity embossed in gold on the side of the shoe.

“Winning is a great feeling. When you do win you can sit back and look at hard practices you went through and really appreciate the victory,” Gay said. “I wear the Trinity shoe out of respect for Jesse Owens. It’s like a new school and an old school put together. It’s my way of showing respect back to him.”

Adding another dynamic to the relationship, in 2007 Tyson Gay was awarded the prestigious Jesse Owens Award by USA Track and Field namely for his stunning 100 and 200-meter performances at the World Championships in Osaka.

Like the man he sought to pay honor, Tyson is also a man of few words and big actions. This uniform and shoes are a personal expressing of who he is and what is important to him. While at the same time adding a hip, stylish trend to today’s sports scene.

It all depends on who you ask about the significance of gear to athletes."We need to get some type of flame-retardant uniform in case he catches on fire," said Drummond, no stranger to hyperbole. "He's running so doggone fast."

I couldn’t sum it up any better than that.

By Jay Hicks.

Instant Analysis: Day 1, Aviva London 2008 IAAF Super Grand Prix

Catch all of the London Action at WCSN.com and Universal Sports TV.

The races at the Crystal Palace got off to a good start. According to my sources, many of the athletes are under going heavy training in preparation for the Olympics and running through this meet.

Being really good also takes good luck. With that, a false start by the field saved David Oliver from a horrid start. Out of Lane 6, Oliver (13.2) got a decent start on the second time around and won the race by digging himself out of hole halfway through the race. The time certainly isn’t what Oliver was expecting, but this sort of gritty win you want to see from an Olympic gold medal contender.

200-meter winner Sherone Simpson of Jamaica flew by Allyson Felix coming off the curb. The fourth place finish by Allyson Felix (23.00) was surprisingly slow today.

Don't question his conditioning. Asafa Powell (9.94) ran on cruise control to 100 victory. Afterwards Powell said, "Tyson not running makes no difference to me. What is important to all of us is what happens in Beijing next month."

Trinidad’s Richard Thompson won a tight second heat in 10.11, with American Shawn Crawford finishing fourth.

Positioning is everything in track and field. Bernard Lagat was boxed into fifth place with 200 to go in the mile. He simply ran out of track after he finally untangled himself down the homestretch. Lagat managed a third place finish in the mile.

After the women’s 100-meter hurdles, Kelly Sotherton of Great Britain was livid. The third set of hurdles were set in the wrong position. Four of the athletes in the race stopped running entirely. One of the athletes could have fallen and ruined their Olympic dreams. Meet officials decided to re-run the race at the end of today’s program.

By Jay Hicks.

Aviva London Super Grand Prix, IAAF World Athletics Tour—Preview

Catch the Aviva London Super Grand Prix broadcast on WCSN.com and WCSN TV.

The big draw of Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay at 100-meters, will have to wait until Beijing. As a precaution, Gay has cancelled his appearance in the 100-meters, just to make sure he does not re-injury himself before the Olympic Games.

According to meeting director Ian Stewart: “Tyson gave himself absolutely every chance to be fit for the Aviva London Grand Prix – and I know he was absolutely desperate to run here. But at the end of the day the meeting has come just a fraction too soon for him and I understand the reasons why he has had to pull out.”

But don’t discount the London Aviva Super Grand Prix because the meet, which has been expanded to a two day format boasts an impressive line up.

First starters, Usain Bolt has promised something ‘special’ for his appearance in the 200-meters, after dropping 19.67 last Friday in Rome. Might that something 'special' be a run at Michael Johnson’s World Record of 19.32?

If it is somehow possible, the women’s 100-meters continues to add drama. U.S. Olympian Lauryn Williams will face Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown and Allyson Felix of the U.S.

Williams, who qualified at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100-meters with a third place finish, will definitely bring the heat on Friday against two formidable opponents just three weeks before the Olympic Games.

Timing is everything, especially in the hurdles. If David Oliver beats Cuba’s Dayron Robles, then track and field may have yet another new rivalry. Robles the reigning World Record holder in the 110-meter hurdles is a beast right now.

Can Lolo Jones continue her winning ways? Former Olympian Joanna Hayes and Jamaica’s Brigitte Foster-Hylton make for an exciting precursor to Beijing.

Going into Beijing, the question mark on Kerron Clement in the 400-meter hurdles, is whether the 2007 World Champion can establish consistency in the grueling one lap race. Fridays race may provide some indication of how consistent Clement is running since his lost to Bershawn Jackson at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

By Jay Hicks.

Tyson Gay Update!

-From Eugene, OR

After falling to the track yesterday and shaking up the 200-meter field, so far the news on Tyson Gay is looking good. Gay’s publicist said that he underwent an MRI late Saturday afternoon. The MRI showed a mild strain in the semitendinosus muscle. Which means the hamstring was not pulled.

The nation can release a collective sigh of relief.

The reigning 100 and 200 World champion is expected to engage in "active rest" for up to 12-14 days, with light physical activity increasing through that period, and then resume training. Tyson's only confirmed pre-Olympic competition is the 100-meters at the Aviva London Grand Prix on July 25, and that is still on the schedule.

The London Grand Prix will provide a look at the health of Gay's hamstring and the level of his physical conditioning heading into the Beijing.

Gay has qualified in the 100-meters and is eligible to run on the 4x100 meter relay. His hopes of competing in the Olympics at 200-meters were dashed yesterday. Track and field, unlike gymnastics, does not allow for an appeal. He is in the same position as Sanya Richards a year ago, when she was unable to compete at the World Championships after finishing fourth at the U.S. nationals, even though she had dominated the sport during the season. Regardless of his world rankings, he will not be able to compete in the 200 in Beijing.

"I believe in the system, remember in 2000 [Sydney Olympics] when two of our marquee athletes went down in the 200-meters. You can't say that politics are involved in the process. The athletes made the team. It wasn't someone's opinion or what an athlete did earlier in their careers, they earned the spot. It is what it is," said U.S. Olympic Team head coach Bubba Thorton.

Great. How about instituting a fail safe switch in the process if an athlete is a world champion or comes into the trial ranked #1 in the world, there is a provision in the case of a freak situation that would keep them from making the U.S. Olympic team.

Hopefully, this will spark a new dialogue about whether a modification needs to be made to the U.S Olympic team selection process to ensure the best athletes represent the country at championship events.

By Jay Hicks.

Tyson Gay Injury Troubling!

-From Eugene, OR

Today was definitely a hard day at the office for the athletes, but who would have ever thought that Tyson Gay would not be in the 200-meter final? It was hard to watch a warrior fall, but after the 100s I was wondering how much all of those sub 10 second 100-meter races took out of him.

The injury is reported as a ‘severe cramp', and everyone should hope that is the extent of the injury. Tyson was complaining of soreness in the hamstring during the 100-meter rounds.

The men’s 200-meter is completely wide open. Wallace Spearmon is a likely figure to win the race, but Walter Dix has been running extremely well. And don’t count out the reigning 2000 Olympic champion Shawn Crawford. The winning time will probably be under 20 seconds.

Another warrior, Allen Johnson, did not make it to the finals of the 110- hurdles due to an injury.

Everything seems to be falling into place for Lolo Jones in the women’s 100 hurdles. She told me that she is feeling good and feels that she is in a good place going into the finals. The reigning Olympic champion, Joanna Hayes, is putting together her race through the rounds, so look for a good final tomorrow.

Check out my full coverage on TheFinalSprint.com.

By Jay Hicks.

Gays Runs Even Faster, Dix Emerges On the Scene!

It was utter pandemonium when the stadium clock displayed 9.68 after Tyson Gay crossed the line. Track Town, USA was completely rocking for the next thirty minutes. The wind-aided time (+4.1) is still the fastest time ever run.

People sitting at home may question how six people ran under 10-seconds in one race. Similar to European track stadiums, the fans in the newly renovated Hayward Field are close to the track, and the athletes feed off of their infectious energy.

Walter Dix shut up all of the naysayers and doubters of his talent. He is headed to Beijing, and the shoe companies had better start adding some big numbers to their contract offers.

It was great to see Darvis Patton dip under 10-seconds again and qualify for the team after fighting injuries for the last couple years.

Coach Jon Drummond was ecstatic in the athlete area after the race. His athlete Tyson Gay had done it!

Check out my full article on the race as published on TheFinalSprint.com

By Jay Hicks.

Tyson Gay Rewrites American 100-Meter Record in Eugene!

Tyson Gay put on a sprinting clinic during the quarterfinal heats. He set a new (9.77) American Record in the quarterfinal round heat. I’ve never seen a round of 100 heats that produced six sub-10 second times.

His time beat the previous (9.79 ) American record held by former great Maurice Greene. After the race Gay said, “If I can follow in [Greene’s] footsteps and win an Olympic medal, I’ll go down in history as one of the greatest.”

Tyson said that he nearly cried out of fear that he had not made it through the previous round when he inadvertently slowed up thinking he had reached the finish line. His coach Jon Drummond said that “champions do not do those kind of things, and you need to make up for it in the next round.”

Everyone has been just handing World Record Holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica the Olympic gold medal in Beijing. This race is indication that it will be war on the track in the men’s 100-meters in August. That, of course, is assuming that all goes as planned, and Gay qualifies for the U.S. Olympic Team. After a day like today, let’s just be clear that no assumptions can be made.

By Jay Hicks

Instant Analysis—Reebok Grand Prix!

The big winner at the Reebok Grand Prix: Usain Bolt. A false start coupled with rain and followed by being called out of the blocks by the starter were not enough to cool off this hot 100-meter race. It was a star performance by the young Jamaican sprinter setting a new World Record of 9.72!

Bolt captured lightening in a bottle by assembling perfection in New York. He set the tone with a fab start, then he flew during the mid-race and through the final stages when he broke the world record and grabbed a piece of history. In the process Bolt silenced his critics that have doubted the authenticity of his times and his lack of competing against big stars in the 100.

We’ll say again that this is a meet that would normally take place in Europe. Reebok and the meet director really did a nice job with this one.

Heading in to Bejing, Bolt is the odds on favorite, but don’t count out Tyson Gay who can only be happy with his 9.85. He ran just .01 off his personal best a month before the Olympic Trials. Keep in mind that the Olympics are more about running the rounds.

Sanya Richards got back to handling her business, running 50.04 in the 400. The Texas Ex ran a great time considering the inclement weather.

It was good to be queen for a day. Veronica Campbell-Brown dropped a bomb at 10.91 to claim the world leading time at 100-meters.

Everyone was looking for Terrence Trammell to get with Liu Xiang. But Liu Xiang pulled out of the race citing a sore hamstring. That change did not interrupt Trammell from putting down 13.11, a splendid time for just his second outing of the season.

Click here for the full meet results.

By Jay Hicks.

Can Great Britain Win the 4 x 100 Relay in Beijing?

Jimson Lee at Speedendurace.com wrote an great article asking can the UK 4x100 relay team repeat with Olympic gold from the '04 Games in 08/08/08? Heck no! Maybe the Brits' 4x100 meter relay should take Michael Johnson’s advice and trip their competitors. That looks to be the UK’s best chances to win gold.

This summer is a big one for the UK 4x100-meter relay talent pool, and some of its biggest guns will be locked in a drawer. It looks more like the nation’s top sprinter, Dwain Chambers will be not be allowed to run in Beijing. Darren Campbell has hung up his spikes for retirement, and Mark Lewis-Francis is out this summer with an achilles injury.

Jamaica will make some kind of run. The Jamaican national team has two legit stars plus, a bunch of guys with international experience. After what we saw at the Penn Relays in April, the Jamaicans can be that much better in Beijing, right? Marvin Anderson, Michael Frater, Nesta Carter and Dwight Thomas ran 39.04 seconds without world record holder Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt, who as of this publication is the second fastest man ever at 100-meters.

Who knows which Americans out of the talent pool will make the team for Beijing. We’re not going to jump the gun and say that Tyson Gay is a lock for the team. So far Darvis Patton, Wallace Spearman, Xavier Carter, Mike Rodgers, Leroy Dixon, John Capel, and Shawn Crawford are in the mix. As long as Team USA doesn’t drop the stick, the relay team is almost guaranteed to run well below 38 seconds.

The Nigerians dropped the stick at the world championships in Osaka last year. If the ’08 relay squad led by Olusoj Fasuba, the fastest guy on the continent, holds on to the stick in Beijing, the Nigerians may surprise some in the Olympic finals.

The 4x100-meter relay results are so difficult to predict because there are so many moving parts, no pun intended. Many of the national teams do not necessarily run or practice together that much before the Olympics because track is an individual sport. No one wants to be remembered for medaling on the relay. But, this Olympics is shaping up to be an epic battle on the track in Beijing. We will have to tune in to see how it all plays out.

By Jay Hicks.

2008 Reebok Grand Prix Preview

Saturday, May 31st – Sunday, June 1.

The 2008 Reebok Grand Prix is shaping up to be an extraordinary night and day. Meet organizers have landed some of the hottest races. The meet is run at the Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island, a 480-acre park anchoring Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens in New York City.

The meet airs on May 31st from 8:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET on ESPN and June 1 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on CBS.

Second year pro 400-meter runner Natasha Hasting plays hosts this week. Hastings ran high school at A. Philip Randolph Campus in New York City. With a field consisting of top ranked athletes, in its fourth year meet should provide great drama this week.

Tyson Gay is the defending 100-meter World Champion and has his work cut out for him. Gay is undefeated this season but Usain Bolt has already run an amazing 9.76! The favorite coming in is Tyson Gay, who is on a roll and is gearing up for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Is there anyone hotter than Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown? She is coming off a photo finish victory at the adidas Track Classic (ATC). If you factor in that Allyson Felix will be seeking revenge after a fourth place finish at the ATC—this race will be scorching. Add in a field of Mershevet Hooker, Lauryn Williams, Carmelita Jeter, Bianca Knight, Torri Edwards, and Muna Lee—this field is out of sight. So many talented runners, but it will be interesting to see if anyone has a break out meet to break Veronica’s winning streak.

If you don’t succeed, try, try again. Terrence Trammell has a stellar track record in the 110-hurdles, and his season opener at the ATC was fantastic. A victory against Chinese megastar Liu Xiang is the only thing missing.

After breaking her own American record at the ATC, it would be hard not to pick Jenn Stuczynski this week. She is getting better with each meet and when she is on, she is unbeatable. Jillian Schwartz, Stacy Dragila, and April Steiner will have something to say about that. You have to love competition.

Don’t call it a come back, she’s been here for years. Sanya Richards is back to focusing on her bread and butter race—the 400 meters after running the 100 at ATC. The fierce some force of Natasha Hastings, Dee Dee Trotter, and Jamaica’s Shareefa Lloyd will make this a race to watch.

The men’s 400 is up for grabs. Jeremy Wariner is not running. Derrick Brew and Xavier Carter are the odds on favor to win, but don’t count out Andrew Rock and and David Neville.

Kerron Clement is facing a field with Bayano Kamani in the 400 hurdles.

Khadevis Robinson debuts for the 2008 outdoor season. The eight time national champion at 800-meters will face up to Nick Willis of New Zealand.

Check PreraceJitters.com for instant analysis after the meet.

For more information, visit www.reebokgrandprix.com or www.visachampionshipsseries.com. Tickets are on sale now by phone at 1-877-TIX-TRAC or on-line at www.ReebokGrandPrix.com.

By Jay Hicks.