Monday, June 25, 2012
Associated Press
EUGENE, ORE.
Tyson Gay took a giant swig of water and then another before crouching into the starting blocks.
The American-record holder breathed deeply and cleared his mind — forgetting all about the surgically repaired right hip or that he really hasn’t tested it out at top-end speed in more than a year. All that mattered was this race before him, the 100-meter final in the U.S. Olympics trials Sunday night.
And after flying down the track, not a trace of a limp in his step, this much was clear: The old Tyson Gay was back. He finished second to 2004 Olympic gold medalist Justin Gatlin, who crossed the line in 9.80 seconds. Gay was only 0.06 seconds behind, but the time hardly mattered.
He was headed to the London Games when a year ago that very notion looked improbable.
“Bittersweet. I always like to win,” Gay said. “I came in second. But at the end of the day, it was about making the team. I got to make sure I turn this little bit of a frown into a happy face. For me to start training in March and make the team is a beautiful accomplishment.”
Also joining Gatlin and Gay in London will be 23-year-old Ryan Bailey, who edged 2009 U.S. champion Mike Rodgers, Doc Patton and Walter Dix, the Olympic bronze medalist in Beijing.
Dix pulled up in the semifinals with a left hamstring injury and wasn’t the same in the final. He’s hoping to be ready for the 200 later this week.
“Things like this happen. I really can’t say much about it,” Dix said.