Leg cramp spoils Gay's bid

2008-07-06 11:21

Eugene - There will be no golden double for world 100- and 200m champion Tyson Gay at the Beijing Olympics after a severe left hamstring cramp on Saturday at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials.

Gay fell to the track in the curve of his 200m quarter-final heat, stunning more than 20 000 spectators at Hayward Field and sparking fears that an injury would doom an Olympic 100m showdown with Jamaicans Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell.

But Mark Wetmore, Gay's agent, said there was no apparent major damage and released a statement from Gay saying that he had noticed a twinge in the hamstring before the race.

"Before I went out on the track I felt a little tightness in my hamstring, so I had kind of a bad feeling," Gay said. "When I came off the curve the first two steps were fine, and then I felt it, sort of a pull, about 40m in.

"Once I was on the ground, it didn't hurt as much as when it happened."

Just six days earlier, Gay ran the fastest 100m under any conditions in a wind-aided 9.68 seconds to win the 100m final. But only the top trio in Sunday's 200m final will run in that event for the US team at the Olympics.

Gay, starting in lane seven, sped out of the blocks in heat one and ran about 15 steps before falling to the track.

He was carried off the track on a stretcher and returned to his hotel room for icing and compression treatment from a physiotherapist.

"I'm very disappointed," Gay said in a statement. "I'll just get it worked on for a few days."

Gay's next scheduled race will be later this month in Paris. Gay's expected showdown with Bolt and Powell to decide who is the world's fastest man is expected to be among the signature moments of the Beijing Olympics.

Bolt set the world record of 9.72 on May 31 at New York, beating Gay and breaking the old mark of 9.74 held by Powell.

After Gay's shocking ouster in the earlier round, 2004 Olympic champion Shawn Crawford won his 200m semi-final heat in 20.21 for the best wind-legal run of those advancing to Sunday's final.

"I'm really sorry about his injury," Crawford said. "I think it takes a little bit of pressure off of everyone because there is now one more spot."

Rodney Martin won the quarter-final heat in which Gay collapsed and went on to win a semi-final heat in 20.04 with a 2.2m/sec tailwind.

"I would rather have Tyson be here then not, even if that means I wouldn't make the team," Martin said. "I would like the best US Olympic team to go to Beijing."

Walter Dix, a 100m Olympian, Wallace Spearmon and Xavier Carter were also among the final eight and also stunned by Gay's fall.

"I was shocked," Dix said. "I knew his legs were hurting. Everybody is hurting. It's a long two weeks."

"To see a great competitor go down is unfortunate, but it's a chance for someone else to step up," Spearmon said. "It's a wake up call for other athletes to take their time in warming up and being extra careful on their starts."

An Olympic dream also died for 1996 Olympic 110m hurdles champion Allen Johnson, who at 37 was bidding for a fourth Olympics but pulled up after the fourth hurdle of his 110m hurdles qualifying heat with a left leg tendon injury.

"After the first hurdle, as I kept going, the pain just got progressively worse," Johnson said. "This is really disappointing for me."

Two-time women's world champion Allyson Felix, thwarted in her bid for a 100-200 double by a fifth-place finish in the 100m final, led 200m finalists by winning her semi-final heat in 22.22, the fastest time by an American in 2008.

"I came out strong in the first 150m, so I could see where I was," Felix said. "I felt comfortable at that point and knew I had to maintain. I know there is more left in there so I'm really excited."

Muna Lee, the 100m winner, and fellow 100m qualifiers Torri Edwards and Lauryn Williams advanced to Sunday's 200m finals, keeping alive Beijing double bids.

David Oliver, a May winner at Doha in 12.95, won his quarter-final heat in 13.07 seconds to lead 16 110m hurdles semi-finalists.

"I just came out and ran a decent race," Oliver said. "It's important to get through these two days before you think about Beijing."

Women's world indoor 60m hurdles champion Lolo Jones had the fastest time in 100m hurdles quarter-finals, winning her heat in 12.59.

Reigning Olympic champion Joanna Hayes was second among 16 to advance, taking her heat in 12.65.

- AFP