Tweet
Sprinter Gay recuperating well
By Mark Maloney
mmaloney@herald-leader.com
David J. Phillip
Tyson Gay hasn't run since injuring his left hamstring in the Olympic Trials 200 in Eugene, Ore., July 5. Photo by David J. Phillip | Associated Press
So far, so good for Tyson Gay.
That's according to his personal coach, Jon Drummond.
“He's doing very well and I feel very good about where we are and where we'll be by the time we get to the (Olympic) Games,” Drummond said.
Gay, a graduate of Lafayette High School in Lexington, suffered a strained left hamstring during the 200-meter dash quarterfinals of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.
The reigning world champion in the 100 and 200 crumpled to the Hayward Field track at Eugene, Ore., less than 50 meters into the race.
Although that ended his chances of competing in the 200 at the Beijing Summer Olympic Games, Gay already had won the Olympic Trials 100. He set an American record of 9.77 seconds in the quarterfinals. His 9.68 clocking in the finals does not count as a record because it was wind-aided, but nevertheless is the quickest 100 of all time under any conditions.
Gay has not run since going down at Eugene. He is recuperating in Germany. Drummond, still stateside, will join Gay soon. Drummond says the plan going into the Trials was to take a 10-day rest afterward. Following the doctor's instructions, Gay is taking an extra four days off.
Drummond says that plans are for Gay to compete once before the Olympics, July 25 at London.
At the Olympics, Gay would have to run four rounds to win the 100 meters. Drummond says the rounds are not a concern.
“He ran eight rounds last year and it wasn't a problem,” Drummond said, referring to the World Championships. “I don't foresee any reason why it would be a problem this year. In fact, he's in much better shape than he was last year, obviously by the way he performed at the Trials.”
Harvey Glance, men's Olympic sprints coach, expressed similar sentiments about rounds the day after Gay went down.
“The base is already laid,” Glance said. “You don't lose that much in a week, week-and-a-half, especially at the level at which he's competing. ... It won't be a matter of conditioning, it'll be a matter of sharpness. And he'll have those three rounds (before the finals) to work on that.”
The Olympics open Aug. 8. Track and field gets under way Aug. 15, when the first two rounds of the men's 100 are scheduled. Semifinals and finals are set for Aug. 16.
If healthy, Gay also would run on the 4-by-100 relay, Aug. 21-22.
By Mark Maloney
mmaloney@herald-leader.com
David J. Phillip
Tyson Gay hasn't run since injuring his left hamstring in the Olympic Trials 200 in Eugene, Ore., July 5. Photo by David J. Phillip | Associated Press
So far, so good for Tyson Gay.
That's according to his personal coach, Jon Drummond.
“He's doing very well and I feel very good about where we are and where we'll be by the time we get to the (Olympic) Games,” Drummond said.
Gay, a graduate of Lafayette High School in Lexington, suffered a strained left hamstring during the 200-meter dash quarterfinals of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.
The reigning world champion in the 100 and 200 crumpled to the Hayward Field track at Eugene, Ore., less than 50 meters into the race.
Although that ended his chances of competing in the 200 at the Beijing Summer Olympic Games, Gay already had won the Olympic Trials 100. He set an American record of 9.77 seconds in the quarterfinals. His 9.68 clocking in the finals does not count as a record because it was wind-aided, but nevertheless is the quickest 100 of all time under any conditions.
Gay has not run since going down at Eugene. He is recuperating in Germany. Drummond, still stateside, will join Gay soon. Drummond says the plan going into the Trials was to take a 10-day rest afterward. Following the doctor's instructions, Gay is taking an extra four days off.
Drummond says that plans are for Gay to compete once before the Olympics, July 25 at London.
At the Olympics, Gay would have to run four rounds to win the 100 meters. Drummond says the rounds are not a concern.
“He ran eight rounds last year and it wasn't a problem,” Drummond said, referring to the World Championships. “I don't foresee any reason why it would be a problem this year. In fact, he's in much better shape than he was last year, obviously by the way he performed at the Trials.”
Harvey Glance, men's Olympic sprints coach, expressed similar sentiments about rounds the day after Gay went down.
“The base is already laid,” Glance said. “You don't lose that much in a week, week-and-a-half, especially at the level at which he's competing. ... It won't be a matter of conditioning, it'll be a matter of sharpness. And he'll have those three rounds (before the finals) to work on that.”
The Olympics open Aug. 8. Track and field gets under way Aug. 15, when the first two rounds of the men's 100 are scheduled. Semifinals and finals are set for Aug. 16.
If healthy, Gay also would run on the 4-by-100 relay, Aug. 21-22.
