With the former Arkansas Razorback, Tyson Gay, spitting out back-to-back sub-9.80 100s (albeit slightly wind-aided times) in the past two weeks, it's time for a trip to YouTube to view some track video.
This past Sunday at the 2007 Reebok Grand Prix IAAF World Athletics Tour stop at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island, New York, a couple false starts (American record holder, Dominique Arnold was DQ'd) and a blistering 12.95 p.r. from Terrence Trammell could not stop Liu Xiang from ripping off a stunning 12.92 victory; just .04 seconds off his world record. Xiang's start is only average, but his form stays so impeccible (he's feet get down over the hurdle faster than anyone I've ever seen) that he is able to catch Trammell over the last few hurdles in an impressive show of drive and racing heart, as well as talent. Trammell and Arnold will surely have their work cut out for them if they intend to return the 110m World Record and/or the Olympic title back to America with Xiang in the field in front of his home fans in the '08 Games.
Gay's 9.76w on the same day sure had announcer Ato Boldon excited, and with good measure. Along with his 9.79w two weeks ago Gay looks primed to bring home the other men's sprint world record unnervingly being held overseas (Asafa Powell's 9.77 last June is the fastest ever legal time). Seeing as though Powell has shone himself to be more of a time-setter than a racer (see: his no show in Athens), there's a good chance Gay might be looking at a gold medal next summer as well.
The US vs Jamaica sprint rivalry goes beyond Gay, Powell and the 100m. Jamaica's Usain Bolt, owner of a 19.93 junior world record, may very well reach the 200m final in Beijing and have to take on any of the following Americans: Gay, Athens gold medalist Shawn Crawford, Wallace Spearmon, Walter Dix, Xavier Carter and LaShawn Merritt. Quite a task. For what it's worth, my early picks for team USA's best 200m men in Beijing are Spearmon, Gay, Carter, in that order.
The '07 Reebok meet is only one example of Spearmon's 200m staying power. The announcer's comment about his "characteristic poor turn" is bush league. Wallace's turn looks "poor" only because his superior speed strength allows him to close in the 200 better than anyone else in the world.
That is, better than anyone else except for the possible exception of the 100m-to-400m freak, the former LSU Tiger, Xavier "The X- Man" Carter. His absurd, come from behind 19.63 200m in Switzerland (fastest ever by a human being because we know full well that it was no mere mortal wearing spikes this night in Atlanta) is made even more amazing by the fact that it is none other than Tyson Gay that Carter undresses. The X-Man's raw power makes him a definate threat in whatever race he runs in China.
The young crop of male sprinters has the United States positioned very well for next summer. Now, let's just cross our fingers and hope they don't embarrass the old Red White and Blue while they're there (read: Mr. Gatlin's fall from grace).
-MP
[track+field] [running] [Tyson+Gay] [Olympics] [world+record]
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1 comment:
You write very well.
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