"Off The Record"
A Blog by Jill M. Geer

Thank you, Tyson Gay

Sunday, August 16, 2009

BERLIN - There is something about the World Championships men's 100-meter final that almost always makes me hold my breath. (The same can be said for the 4x100 relays, but for different reasons!) Of those I have seen in person, I can vividly recall feeling a sensation that was more intense than what I used to feel before my own competitions. It is adrenaline-fueled, heart-in-throat anticipation of a race whose result was utterly unknown.

In 1997, I was all a-twitter as the men lined up for the 100m final in Athens. Maurice Greene in that year had proven he was a man, if not THE man, to beat, but Canada's Donovan Bailey was still the world record holder and Olympic gold medalist. The image of Greene crossing the finish line, tongue hanging out, was the most memorable of that meet and became Greene's trademark.

After winning the 1999 world title and 2000 Olympic gold, as expected, Greene was still the favorite in 2001, although Tim Montgomery – later shown to be using drugs – had emerged as a contender. What I remember about that race is not the anticipation but watching, somewhat stunned, as Greene ran the most incredible first 60 meters the world has ever seen in the 100. It was so amazing, in fact, that his quad gave out on him. He then ran one of the most impressive final 30 meters in history, basically winning the race on one leg. He ran 9.82 seconds … into a headwind … to win. I will never forget his quote from a press conference the next day, when he explained the injury simply:

"I took my body to a place it wasn't ready to go."

In 2007, the heavyweight match-up was against the ascendant Tyson Gay and world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica. Tyson was probably considered an underdog. What I remember from that race was knowingGay would win after the first 20 meters . He just got OUT. He was focused. Powell, in what has since become his championship-meet calling card, was not. Post-race interviews made Gay a favorite of the media, who left the interview scratching their heads. "What … is… this? A sprinter who confesses to worrying about letting people down? Who needs to speak to his mother on the phone to keep his nerves in check? Of wondering if he is worthy? A sprinter who not only is humble, but ADMITS to it?"

Watching each of Gay's races in 2009, the first 20 to 30 meters are clearly the most challenging part of getting to the finish line first. Running with a sore groin, he appears to have lost some power in the first half of the 100. He usually trails at least one, and sometimes 3 athletes at 40 meters. But he has been finishing very well.

All that said, in what universe could anybody expect a slightly injured athlete, even one as focused, determined and classy as Gay, to beat a healthy Usain Bolt? How is it fair to even HOPE that he could?

Because the world wants that competition, and we were all thrilled and impressed to see how incredibly well Gay bounced back from injury and disappointment in the 2008 Olympic year, when a strained hamstring kept him out of the Olympic final. Last year, he could only watch as Bolt obliterated the mold for what it means to be a great sprinter. To call Bolt the standard isn't fair to his competitors: he is another species.

So we hoped that Tyson could achieve the impossible. Or at least give Bolt a scare. Not because we don't like Bolt – he has drawn attention to track and field like no one since Carl Lewis – but because we love competition, and we love to see good people do good things.

On Sunday night at Olympic Stadium, Bolt kept rolling, improving his world record from Beijing. But he would not have gotten there without Tyson.

I was astounded when I saw Gay break from the blocks, essentially even with the rest of the field and just a hair behind Bolt, who was running in the lane to his left. Tyson kept it up through 50 meters, at which point I gasped.

For a split second, Tyson was starting to GAIN on the untouchable Bolt. Lest my eyes deceive me, the replay proved it so. It was the briefest of moments, but what a moment.

Bolt clearly felt Gay's approach, glancing at the American out of the corner of his widened eye, and put the pedal down. He accelerated to a world record 9.58 seconds, with Gay second in 9.71 to shatter his own American record. Powell – previously the second-fastest man in history - was third in 9.84.

Though Bolt preened and joked before the race, he was nothing but business for 9.58 seconds. He didn't have the time or the luxury to wave to the crowd, stretch out his arms and do everything but pop a champagne cork and text his friends en route to the finish line, as had been the case in Beijing.

On this night, he had to work for his medal, and his record.

Thank you, Tyson Gay, for being the X Factor in making that race the greatest 100 meters in history.

Thank you, Tyson Gay, for a stunning national record.

But most of all, thank you, Tyson Gay, for showing what a champion is. You took your aching body to a place it had no business going – to the cusp of a world record. The moment the gun went off, I was overwhelmed with pride for what I saw you doing. As you crossed that finish line, I was, and am, near tears. What you did was awesome, in the purest sense of the word.

Thank you for being Tyson Gay.