Birmingham
800m dark horse could be Gray
Pat Butcher for the IAAF
15 February 2002 – London - The men’s 800 metres in Birmingham on Sunday has suffered the
loss of the mercurial young Russian Yuriy Borzakowsky, who is sick. But with the drafting
in of American Trinity Gray, the four-lapper is still on a par with a world indoor final,
and is the best in-depth event on the Norwich Union programme, the latest in the Energiser
Series.
World champion, André Bucher of Switzerland, whose only defeat last summer was by Borzakowsky, is already in great form. Bucher’s win in Ghent in 1 minute 45.80 secs last weekend was the world’s fastest indoor time of the season, and he remains favourite for the European title in Vienna in two weeks’ time. But two men who fought out one of the closest major championship finishes in history are out to give Bucher a torrid time in the National Indoor Arena. Wilson Kipketer just outleaned Hezekiel Sepeng, to win his third world title in Seville ‘99, but the Kenyan-born Dane has barely raced since winning Olympic silver in Sydney 17 months ago. Sepeng was also a close second last week to Bucher in Gent. Meanwhile Botswana’s Glody Dube, a winner ahead of Borzakowsky in Stockholm ten days ago is also in the field.
Late entry Gray is no makeweight however. He has an outdoor best of 1.44.5, from the end of last season, and prior to Bucher’s run in Gent, Gray was the world’s fastest indoors this year, with his 1.46.12 in a collegiate competition in New York’s Armory last Friday night. And the 24 year old from Philadelphia is out to prove that he can survive against the world’s best on the track as readily as he survived an upbringing in one the world’s toughest ghettoes.
West Philadelphia was the backdrop for the Rocky movies, and for once Hollywood did not exaggerate. A victim of paternal violence as a child, Gray was brought up by his mother from the age of 11, in an area where it didn’t do to wear anything remotely attractive. “That was an invitation to get robbed,” says Gray. You didn’t wear trendy jackets, or even a football jacket”. He recalls walking down the street with his sister, when a guy asked for his ordinary jacket. Gray gave it to him, and kept walking. “You can always buy another jacket,” he says, implying that a lot worse could have happened.
His elder brother (by two years) Deauchon succumbed to the local way of life. “He sold drugs, guns, pretty much anything. I don’t condone what he did, but I understand why he did it. It was a matter of survival,” says Gray. “Unfortunately, he’s still doing what he’s doing”. Fortunately for younger brother Trinity, his academic record was good enough to get him into one of the best colleges in New England, Brown University at Providence, Rhode Island, where he studied Psychology.
“I got my bachelor’s degree in 2000, and I will probably go on and take a law degree, but for the time being, I want to concentrate 100% on track.”
Like Bucher, Gray has a reputation as a front-runner, and that is only going to change if Bucher gets to the front first in Birmingham.
Jetting into London on Friday morning, he said, “I was the world’s fastest for 36 hours last weekend until Bucher ran in Gent. If he wants to take it out in Birmingham, he can, otherwise I’ll do it. I certainly don’t plan just to sit in there. It’s going to be fast”. And may the best man win.
