Tyson Gay flies 19.41 for 200m on a straight track in Manchester (© Mark Shearman)
American record holder and former World sprint champion Tyson Gay hasn't competed since his appearance at a straight 200m in the streets of Manchester last 16 May. He now explains why...
“It has been an up and down few weeks for me since my last diary entry. I was real pleased with the way things went in Manchester but since then things have not gone the way I was planning.
“The good news is that I don’t have any kind of major injury. But the bad news is that I have had some muscle soreness in my hamstring which has slowed down my preparations for the summer.
“Basically, a tight hamstring started right around the time I ran in Manchester and, because I didn’t want to take any big risks, I consulted with the doctor in Europe who has helped me in the past. He looked closely at me and found no damage. So I am not “injured” but also not totally healthy. It is not fun being injured in this sport but sometimes it is even harder when you can train but in limited amount because of small little aches and pains. That is where I have been in these last few weeks.
“The one thing I can say to the fans is exactly what I said to the media last week when I was in New York. At some point it is time for me to put up or shut up. I think I can run fast…real fast. But I don’t really want to talk about that now. I just want to do it.
“Speaking of New York, I travelled there last week for the adidas Grand Prix. It is always hard to be around a big meet like that when you are not competing. I am glad I went though. It was cool to get the chance to talk to the media and let them know how I was doing.
“The best part of the trip though was watching that woman’s 200m. People talk about rivalries between Usain, me and Asafa…but I think Allyson and Veronica racing each other is just as cool. Veronica’s speed as a 100-200m sprinter and Allyson’s strength as a 200-400m runner makes them racing at 200m exciting. They are both champions and the way they raced in New York showed that their rivalry is only going to get bigger.
“One last thing to comment on before I end this entry…
“Yes, I did say to the media that I think the new false start rule doesn’t make any sense. I understand that people say it is better for television but I don’t think the people who made this decision understand what sprinters go through when they get into those blocks.
“If it is not changed, it will hurt our sport. What happened in Rome with Shelly Ann Fraser is not good for anyone and I promise you, this won’t be the last time this happens to a star athlete.
“Sprinters are human...blocks are different, sounds are different and starters are different at some meets. It is crazy to think that sprinters can deal with these changes and never make even a minor mistake.
“All for now”
Tyson.