Gay runs like the wind -- 9.68
Breeze nullifies record, but victory punches his ticket to Beijing
EUGENE, Ore. -- Tyson Gay was a blur in blue, sprinting 100 meters faster than anyone ever has.
His time of 9.68 seconds at the U.S. Olympic trials Sunday doesn't count as a world record because it was run with the help of a too-strong tailwind. Here's what does matter: Gay qualified for his first Summer Games team and served notice he's certainly someone to watch in Beijing.
''It means a lot to me,'' Gay, 25, said. ''I'm glad my body could do it because now I know I have it in me.''
Wearing a royal blue uniform with red and white diagonal stripes across the front, along with matching shoes, all in a tribute to 1936 Olympic star Jesse Owens, Gay dominated the competition. He started well and pulled out to a comfortable lead by the 40-meter mark.
This time, he kept pumping his legs through the finish line, extending his lead. In Saturday's opening heat, Gay pulled way up, way too soon, and nearly was caught by the field before accelerating again and lunging for fourth.
No such close call this time.
No one ever has covered 100 meters more quickly. The previous fastest time under any conditions was 9.69 in 1996 by Obadele Thompson, who now is married to Marion Jones.
Gay's race came with the wind blowing at 4.1 meters per second; anything above 2.0 is not allowed for record purposes.
''I didn't really care what the wind was,'' Gay said.
Walter Dix, the 2007 NCAA champion from Florida State, passed Darvis Patton in the final 20 meters for second place. Dix clocked 9.80 and Patton 9.84, as each of the first six finalists turned in times under 10 seconds.
The official world record is 9.72 seconds, set by Jamaica's Usain Bolt on May 31 in New York -- with Gay a distant second. That race sent Gay and his coach, Jon Drummond, to work, tinkering with the runner's start and style.
After misjudging the finish in his opening heat Saturday, Gay ran 9.77 in a quarterfinal a few hours later, breaking the American record that had stood since 1999.
While Gay won as expected, long jumper Dwight Phillips -- the 2004 Olympic gold medalist -- was fourth by less than an inch and failed to make the team. Trevell Quinley, Brian Johnson and Miguel Pate will be on the team instead.
In other event finals, 2005 world champion Bershawn Jackson led a trio of favorites in the men's 400-meter hurdles. Jackson won in 48.17, followed by reigning world champion Kerron Clement in 48.36 and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Angelo Taylor in 48.42.
In the women's 400 hurdles, Tiffany Ross-Williams, Queen Harrison and Sheena Tosta qualified to go to China. In the women's discus, Aretha Thurmond repeated her trials victory from 2004 by throwing 213 feet, 11 inches. She'll be joined in Beijing by Suzy Powell-Roos, who's on her third Olympic team, and Stephanie Brown Trafton.
Shani Marks and Erica McLain qualified in the women's triple jump.
Derek Miles won the men's pole vault (19 feet, 0-?206-140? inches), and 40-year-old Jeff Hartwig and U.S. record-holder Brad Walker also qualified. AP