Tyson Gay runs 9.79 100m in Clermont

James and Kabayo have it right.

I actually think that it's a good thing that Bolt is a bit muscled-up and tight this early in the year.

He seems to have a good muscular base--the rest will come together as the season progresses--the coordination, the fitness, etc..

To be running 9.8 at this time of the year is INSANE, no matter who you are.

Keeping up international meet schedules and running fast are a recipe for injury.

Bolt is, I think, playing it smart. Gay seems to be playing it smart, too, as long as he gets in enough races to be sharp at the start--but I don't know if he needs to be running 9.79 right now.

He could have eased up a lot in that race in Florida and still won...it looked to me like he was pushing hard at the end, although it is difficult to tell in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IKC7qjkR6o

His top-end style, though, seems to be very natural and forgiving. I think he can push pretty hard at speed with little risk of injury, he is that smooth.

Again hard to tell, but his start looked very nice.

If anyone knows anything about track we all know its not good to run fast early HOWEVER if you plan to run in the 9.5-9.6 range than 9.7's isn't peaking early. I think if you ask Tyson, he isn't going to worlds to run 9.7. When bolt was running 9.6 or the year he ran 9.5, he wasn't running 9.9s to start the year off. He was in the 9.7s and 9.8s on a bad day. He damn sure wasn't struggling to hit those times. Tyson looked very easy running that time.

nobody is getting excited but Bolt seemed to struggle to the finish to run 9.91. And also please stop justifying if Bolt or other Jamaicans run slow by saying its not the world championships or olympics, because whenever they run fast all I hear is bragging from Jamaican fans.

give credit where credit is due. Bolt doesn't look so hot right now and tyson does. Doesn't mean anything right now but lets not act like Bolt is where he is normally at, during this time of the year because he is not. He even seemed to be getting a little nervous by commenting on the times in Eugene. Even if those times were legit or not they were still 9.8s and 9.9s. For a man who runs 9.5 and 9.6 why even worry about those guys. thats like a guy who runs 10.0 worrying about guys who run 10.3 and 10.4 lol.

A couple of things:

Bolt does NOT run 9.5 and 9.6--he runs 9.9.

He HAS run 9.5 and 9.6 in the past, but not now. He is right to be concerned about anybody running as fast as him, ever. You never know what the future will bring.

And, I don't think his comments on the times in Eugene indicate nervousness--actually exactly the opposite.

How do you conclude that Gay looked "very easy" running this 9.79? The only video I've seen is a shaky, hand-held video from a really bad angle, where it is impossible to tell, one way or another, how much effort he was putting in.

I do agree that if Gay is aiming to run 9.5 or 9.6 by the end of the year, then 9.8 is not currently unreasonable, unless he is running 9.8 by pushing really hard.

I don't think he'll NEED to run 9.5 to win this year--I think that somewhere around 9.70, depending on wind, will win the WC's, unless EVERYBODY improves equally by the end of the season.

bmo wrote:

If anyone knows anything about track we all know its not good to run fast early HOWEVER if you plan to run in the 9.5-9.6 range than 9.7's isn't peaking early.

With all due respect; Tyson can plan all he wants with running 9.5's and 9.6's....but unless he catches another 2.0 wind while in shape we won't see that happen.

Please guys, I understand that fans are hoping for him to run anything closer then the times Bolt surprised us with, but Gay won't do it. Look at his 9.69 and 9.71 races, and you'll see that this is a sprinter without room for improvent in his raceplan and execution outside his start, and you won't find a full tenth of a second there on this level of sprinting. He's basicly running all out in every single race he runs, and he is a legit 9.7 guy, but no constant 9.6 low or 9.5 high guy.

Study his races with a neutral view on things, and tell me what you see.....

Considering Bolt; he's on a different scedule then the past years. IF, and that's a big IF considering the scoliosis and the need for Mills to alter this season's approach, he's anywhere near the 2008 and 2009 Bolt come Deague I see him getting close to his WR's again, maybe even break them. Both races had some room for improvement technically speaking.

Biggest problems we as fans have is all the injury trouble. Now it's Powell again.

I was the timer for both Mullings' and Gay's 100M races at the National training center.

When I watched the race this last Saturday and Tyson was finishing, my first thought was - Man I wish he had run faster because it looked effortless at the line. When I marked the photo and it was 9.79 (and rechecked it lol), I was amazed he ran that quick. He is impressive, business like and seemingly on a mission. I hope he does the best his body and training allows and if it's good enough to beat Bolt, so be it. If not, he (Bolt) may have to run another WR.

The wind was +1.1 for Gay's run.

Meet results:

http://www.elitetiming.net/2011-results/293-6-4-11-ntc-sprint-series

M Hill

Bolt will never break his 9.58

And, having closely examined most of Gay's races, I believe that he ABSOLUTELY can gain 0.10 over the first 15-20m, especially looking at his start in the 9.69 run.

He did have one run last year, his 9.78 (-0.4), where he actually seemed to have a worthwhile start. Instead of simply running out of the blocks as he usually does, he actually seemed to have a bit of drive, if only a little.

I do agree that he is a legit 9.7 guy--but a legit 9.7 guy, a few times in his career, can lower that by a tenth, given a cracking start and excellent conditions.

I also agree on his race execution being excellent.

Of course, the difficulty with implementing a driving start will be that his transition will have to change, and won't be as smooth as it is now. He should have been working on all of that during this past off-season.

On the whole, as he seems to have the same start and acceleration as last year, I agree with you that he is not going to go 9.5 or 9.6 this year, but I can see very low 9.7's, even 9.70--and, based on superstition and fear alone, I think that time will be enough to win world's.

You are right. Powell going down hurts a bit and apparently if he didnt walk it in he would have ripped the hammy.

Gay needs to stay away from the 100-200 double. The numerous heats would wear him and his groin out. He needs to stick to the 100.

The Jamaican and USA champs are going to be interesting.

In Jamaica you have guys like Mullings, Frater, Forsythe, Ashmeade, Blake and I guess the often injured Powell. Luckily for these guys, 3 of them will advance to The WC's in the 100 and the 200.

The US is interesting. Gay is the clear favorite in the 100 and Dix and Spearmon are the frontrunners in the 200. Rodgers had a huge race the other day and if Dix does the 100-200 double I think those three are the favorites. Gatlin, Demps, Edwards, Salaam, and Mitchell are going to round out the 100. I could see Mitchell and Salaam doubling but they also have a big competition coming up. You have to admire a guy like Patton but the guy is getting up there. The rounds are going to wear him out.

If, IF the times in Oregon are valid, the 100 will be Gay and Rodgers for sure, then a dogfight between Dix, Patton, and Gatlin (!).

I sure hope Demps or Salaam is able to get in there, though.

What the heck has happened to Ryan Bailey? Is he just a Rieti star?

I don't think the times from Oregon are believable.

Gay for sure.

Then 2 from Demps, Rodgers, Patton, Dix, Salaam, and maybe Gatlin as an outside shot.

I can't believe we're talking about guys like Patton and Gatlin in the mix. Patton has to be ecstatic about his run in Oregon, back to close to his former best. Gatlin also has to be ecstatic, as he continues to improve.

The US team seems really weak to me, after Gay and possibly Rodgers. Consider the depth of the Jamaicans, IF Powell stays healthy. Even guys from around the world, like Lemaitre, Chambers, maybe even Obikwelu or Collins, or some other outlier, seem to me to be competitive with the US except for Gay and maybe Rodgers.

What will be interesting will be the Jamaican relay team, with or without Powell. Carter, Mullings, Bolt, Blake--pretty awesome, with a guy like Frater as an alternate to help out in the rounds.

I also think Spearmon should try his luck at the 100 again this year. If he'd run in Oregon, he surely would have gone under 10!

Here is another view of the race. If this does

Here is another view of the race. If this does not look easy by the end of the race then I don't know what easy looks like for a 100m. He didn't dip for the line. His max velocity phase was gangbuster like a normal tyson gay race.

Also when I said Usain was running 9.6 and 9.5s, I was referring to the Olympic and world championship years. The years he ran those times he was running 9.7s and at least 9.8s in most races and not 9.9s like this year.And he sure wasn't struggling to run 9.9. I remember the prelims of worlds and he ran the fastest prelim time ever and it looked very easy. Bolt is gritting his teeth and pumping all the way thru the line to win.

Bolt has had technical problems before and I've seen this guy dismantle fields of 100m elites. This is different. Adding muscle is honestly not too smart if its not a by product of getting stronger meaning you can handle your added body mass and it looks like initially he is having problems doing that and trust me I know from experience as a coach and athlete its not something you correct over a couple of months.

As far as tyson not being able to improve a tenth you gotta be kidding. This guy's start is terrible. If he improves his initial push by going thru the full range of motion and not losing ground in the first 30m, I can see him going 9.5 but he would need a tailwind lol. Now bolt can go 9.4 I honestly think think this but not the way he is running right now and he would need a tailwind also.

My point exactly--he USED to run 9.5. Right now, he runs 9.9, and it would be right for anybody running 9.9 to be worried about anybody else running 9.9 or faster, no matter what that current 9.9 runner used to run in the past.

I have seen both videos, and for me, the jury's still out. Given his extremely smooth running style, it is difficult to tell when Gay is working hardest.

I personally think that he is working hardest essentially every race, and that differences in his times depend on tiny biomechanical adjustments, not on effort. This 9.79 could have easily been a 9.7, given only very slightly more favorable start or acceleration position.

This dude goes almost-all-out whenever he runs--he is just so well trained to relax at speed that it never really looks like he's pushing--he doesn't lose form, he doesn't grimace, his neck doesn't tighten into a fibrous mess, he doesn't clench his fists, he doesn't hold his breath the whole race and turn blue.

Here's a question for you: can you easily remember the last time that Gay ran ABOVE 10 sec? I can't.

He's always trying hard, and good for him.

You're perfectly right--it "looks" easy. But it isn't.

Having said that, I still think that he can be in natural 9.70 form, and that if he accidentally gets a start, he can go 9.60.

Guy is amazing.

saw both runs an dthey are both strong and slightly out of sync.

Gay took the foot off the gas the last 15 as he was not flowing, Bolt ran the last 10 to win.

It should be an interestingseason, and I will not be surprised to see them split the wins.

No one else will be in the picture unless one of them pulls up lame.

Well, as I said before...Bolt is most likely into high training volume at this point. That can easily be the reason for his cramped up races at this point. I remember the days when I had to run a short indoor campaign in the middle of heavy training (overdistance, powertraining), and the races I ran were far from smooth. I recognize some of that in Bolt (not want to compare myself to Bolt, but you get the idea, lol). He can't utilize his power since he lacks the coördination in his runs, which is normal if you're trainingvolume is high.

I think that we can compare Gay and Bolt at this point in time all we want, but that doesn't tell us much. Bolt has 3 months to shed the rust, Gay needs to carry his trials form to Deague. Giving the fact that sprinters can stay in a certain shape for 2-2.5 months, Gay will need a break between trials and Deague. Same goed for Mullings, same goes for Blake (which Mills obviously understood after that 9.8).

[quote]Sprint Geezer wrote:

Here's a question for you: can you easily remember the last time that Gay ran ABOVE 10 sec? I can't.

quote]

Your right it's not easy BUT it can become easy as you get use to it and your body becomes accustomed to running those times.

If he can run 9.79 at a meet with practically no fans and with no competition and first meet of the year. You have to assume it was easy for him to do that and his body is ready to put out that time at the least. nobody can go 100% effort every meet, all the time, especially at a meet like this with no motivation to run fast. He has never opened up at a 9.79 lol.

Also I couldn't see anybody with 2 months to go before a major championship, just starting speed work. that may be what they tell the general public to keep them in awe but as a coach we know better. they may be saying they haven't hit their hardest speed workouts yet which is understandable but to say they are doing a high volume right now wouldn't be very smart as a coach.Coaches work speed year around anyway.

With the way both athletes speed maintenance looked I would venture to say they have done plenty of speed endurance work. Even Bolt who was behind but just maintained his top speed longer showed he is right where he needs to be for the second half of his race but its just his first 30-40m.

With a professional athlete you begin speed work earlier anyway because they aren't young athletes and they don't need as much general work to get in shape. They aren't in college anymore.

It's amazing what a civilized discussion can be had without UncleB.

Kabayo and bmo, I think you guys have it about wrapped up--my only remaining issue is trivial--I think it is a better assumption that Gay has to run hard to run 9.7x or 9.8x, than it is that he wasn't running hard because of a lack of fans and great competition--but both positions, I think, have equal merit.

That is to say, both are complete b.s. and not worth arguing over.

So now we sit back and enjoy the show.