Osaka, Japan – Tired and sore, Tyson Gay didn’t have energy left to celebrate completing one of the most impressive sprint doubles in the history of the world track and field championships.
“This was the hardest race of my life,” he said. “I couldn’t think or nothing. I really couldn’t put my arms up to celebrate. I couldn’t even really jog on my victory lap.”
The latest dominant American sprinter pulled away from Jamaican Usain Bolt down the straightaway to win the 200 meters Thursday in 19.76 seconds, breaking the meet record of 19.79 set 12 years ago by American Michael Johnson.
“Tyson is the man to beat right now, hands down. He just proved it,” bronze medalist Wallace Spearmon said.
Gay’s win came in his eighth race, counting preliminaries, in six days at Nagai Stadium. He won the 100 on Saturday in 9.85.
Bolt had a slight lead at the end of the curve, a development that shocked Gay.
“To see him winning, I’m not used to that,” said Gay, adding he usually loses when he isn’t ahead by then.
He needed just about two steps down the straightaway to take the lead, then sprinted away. Bolt was second in 19.91.
Spearmon finished in 20.05, edging U.S. teammate Rodney Martin. Runner-up to Justin Gatlin in 2003, Spearmon expected better.
“I got a medal,” Spearmon said. “It’s supposed to be a pat on the back, but right now it’s like a spit in the face.”
Gay’s sweep of the 100 and 200 events duplicated Gatlin’s achievement at the 2003 world championships. The only other sprinter to complete the 100-200 sweep at the worlds was Maurice Greene in 1999. Gay has a shot at one more gold medal in the 400-meter relay Saturday. Only two other U.S. athletes – Carl Lewis (1983, 1987) and Greene (1999) – have won three golds at a world championships.
Defending champion Dwight Phillips won a bronze in the long jump, giving the U.S. 13 medals, three more than second-place Russia. The Americans have six gold.
