Gay will be ready for Beijing, coach says
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EUGENE, Ore. -- Bubba Thornton, coach of the U.S. men’s track team, said today that he has seen injured sprinter Tyson Gay and is ‘very confident he is going to be in place when they say, ‘On your mark,’ ‘ for the 100-meter dash in Beijing.
Gay pulled up and out of the 200 on Saturday after suffering a mild strain in the semitendinosus muscle in his left leg. The injury was initially said to be a cramp, but an MRI late Saturday found the strain, according to information released by his manager, Mark Wetmore, through USA Track and Field. Gay has been limited to ‘active rest’ for 12 to 14 days, with light physical activity.
In simple terms, the problem is in one of the muscles that make up the hamstrings.
Thornton, of the University of Texas, said he got on an elevator this morning with Gay, whom he described as smiling and walking unaided.
‘Time is on his side,’’ Thornton said.
Jon Drummond, Gay’s personal coach, said the 12 to 14 days of rest already were in Gay’s program.
‘When you come off a [planned] eight rounds of racing, you have got to allow the body to recover,’’ he said today. ‘We’re on schedule. We’re not changing the plan.’’
Thornton and his counterpart with the women’s team, Jeanette Bolden, will be responsible for choosing the members of the pools for the men’s and womens 400- and 1,600-meter relays. Gay would figure to be the anchor on the 400-meter relay if he’s fit, and Thornton said he expects Gay to be ready.
‘I saw Tyson this morning. He’s making preparations for the call in Beijing,’ Thornton said.
The track and field trials end today and USATF must submit its nominations for the Beijing team to the U.S. Olympic Committee on July 8. The team will be announced on July 14.
The relay pools will not be announced until 24 hours before the first round of competition in Beijing, a USATF spokeswoman said.
Bolden said she expects decisions from Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher on Monday regarding whether they will compete in the 5,000 or 10,000 or both races in Beijing. Flanagan, Goucher and Amy Begley finished 1-2-3 in the 10,000; Goucher, Jennifer Rhines and Flanagan finished 1-2-3 in the 5,000. If Goucher or Flanagan should give up her spot in one of the distance races, the replacement would be the next-highest trials finisher who has achieved the ‘A’ standard.
Also, both coaches praised the organization of the event and the caliber of the competition. ‘This has turned out to be a great Olympic trials,’ Bolden said.
Thornton said the community of Eugene had created ‘magic,’ and the athletes had risen to that level. ‘I believe the magic they are able to capture here, they’re going to be able to take to Beijing,’ he said.
-- Helene Elliott and Philip Hersh
