Gay unhappy with wind-assisted 9.75 seconds

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1 of 5. World champion Tyson Gay sprints out of the blocks on his way to winning his heat in the men's 100 meter race at the U.S. track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon June 25, 2009. Gay needed to compete in only one heat at the championships to qualify for the IAAF world championships in August.

Credit: Reuters/Steve Dipaola

By Gene Cherry

EUGENE, Oregon | Fri Jun 26, 2009 3:19am BST

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - World champion Tyson Gay ran a wind-assisted 9.75 seconds in what he called a horrible 100 metres preliminary at the U.S. world championships trials on Thursday.

Although the time was the seventh fastest of all time under any conditions, Gay said he was disappointed with his execution in the race assisted by a wind of 3.4 metres per second.

"I ran a horrible race. Technically it was horrible. My focus was horrible," said Gay.

But the time and a quick 200 metres last month should see Gay line up for a world championship showdown with Jamaican Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt in both sprints in Berlin in August.

With a bye to Berlin in both the 100 and 200 as the defending world champion, Gay had planned Thursday's opening round of the 100 metres as his only appearance at the trials.

He talked afterward of running another round, but after consulting with coaches, decided against it.

The assisting wind led to a number of fast first-round times. Olympian Darvis Patton and upcoming Mike Rodgers both clocked wind-assisted 9.92 seconds.

The world record is Bolt's 9.69 seconds at the Beijing Olympics.

CLAY OUT

Earlier, the U.S. lost one of its top hopes for a world championship gold medal when Olympic decathlon gold medallist Bryan Clay withdrew from the trials with a hamstring injury.

Only the top three finishers at the national trials or defending world champions qualify for Berlin.

"It is a big disappointment," Clay, 29, told Reuters.

"I really would like to be on the team, but at the same time I am trying to keep my mind wrapped around the big picture. I do want to go after the world record."

Clay said he injured his left hamstring while working out on Tuesday.

"I know I am in shape. I know I am ready to compete. I just had a little hiccup that is going to take me out for 10 days or so ... In six weeks, I would be fine going to the world championships."

The trials continue through Sunday.

(Editing by John Mehaffey/Editing by Ian Ransom)
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