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World 100m Champion is Gay
Gay is 100m world champion
Tyson Gay, American sprinter, is the new 100m world champion after scorching down the track in a time of 9.85 seconds, beating home Bahamas' Derrick Atkins and world record-holder Asafa Powell in Osaka.
Powell took an early lead but Gay was never far behind and overtook his main rival with 20 metres to go, with the Jamaican world record-holder winding down to finish third in 9.96 behind Atkins who ran 9.91.
"I was screaming for joy when I crossed the line," Gay said, adding that he spoke to his mother and coach before the race and they calmed his nerves.
"Normally, I have 100 per cent confidence in myself, but today I was a little bit nervous.
"My mother and (coach) Jon Drummond kept telling me 'Just believe in your top speed.'
"So I stayed relaxed and believed in my top speed even though I had a bad start and Asafa was in front of me.
"My gold medal feels so good and I am very proud of it. I really believe that one day the world record will be mine."
It was a disappointing run for Powell, but he will at least be happy to leave the lighting fast Osaka track with his world record time of 9.77 still the fastest in history.
"I stumbled out of the blocks but I was leading until the end. I made a couple of mistakes and I lost the race," said Powell.
"I felt him (Gay) coming on my shoulder and that's when I panicked. It slowed me down."
Slow start, fast finish
Gay claimed his first world title in the second-fastest time this year after his effort of 9.84 seconds at the US championships in June.
The runners lined up in front of a big crowd at the 50,000-seat Nagai Stadium, where thousands of fan-waving spectators had braved the evening heat.
Nigeria's Olufasuba Olusoji was first out of the blocks, but Powell was quickest into stride before fading as Gay, and then Atkins, breezed by.
"I wanted gold all season and I got silver but I am happy with it," said Atkins, who set a new national record for the Bahamas.
"I am very happy with the national record and I am very happy that Bahamas athletics is in such good shape."
On to the 200m
Gay, 25, and the 24-year-old Powell both went into the final undefeated this season but yet to face each other, with the American the one in-form this season following a wind-assisted 9.76 and a season-leading 9.84 in June on his way to the fastest 100m-200m combination in history.
Gay will also compete in the 200m, which he also leads this season with 19.62, as he continues his breakthrough season without regular coach Lance Brauman, who is in jail for embezzlement, theft and mail fraud.
Neither Powell nor Gay had a major title heading into the world championships, although the Jamaican claimed Commonwealth gold last year.
Powell, who false-started out of the last world championships and failed to get out of the blocks in the Athens Olympics, was voted male athlete of last season after 16 successive wins.
Tyson Gay, American sprinter, is the new 100m world champion after scorching down the track in a time of 9.85 seconds, beating home Bahamas' Derrick Atkins and world record-holder Asafa Powell in Osaka.
Powell took an early lead but Gay was never far behind and overtook his main rival with 20 metres to go, with the Jamaican world record-holder winding down to finish third in 9.96 behind Atkins who ran 9.91.
"I was screaming for joy when I crossed the line," Gay said, adding that he spoke to his mother and coach before the race and they calmed his nerves.
"Normally, I have 100 per cent confidence in myself, but today I was a little bit nervous.
"My mother and (coach) Jon Drummond kept telling me 'Just believe in your top speed.'
"So I stayed relaxed and believed in my top speed even though I had a bad start and Asafa was in front of me.
"My gold medal feels so good and I am very proud of it. I really believe that one day the world record will be mine."
It was a disappointing run for Powell, but he will at least be happy to leave the lighting fast Osaka track with his world record time of 9.77 still the fastest in history.
"I stumbled out of the blocks but I was leading until the end. I made a couple of mistakes and I lost the race," said Powell.
"I felt him (Gay) coming on my shoulder and that's when I panicked. It slowed me down."
Slow start, fast finish
Gay claimed his first world title in the second-fastest time this year after his effort of 9.84 seconds at the US championships in June.
The runners lined up in front of a big crowd at the 50,000-seat Nagai Stadium, where thousands of fan-waving spectators had braved the evening heat.
Nigeria's Olufasuba Olusoji was first out of the blocks, but Powell was quickest into stride before fading as Gay, and then Atkins, breezed by.
"I wanted gold all season and I got silver but I am happy with it," said Atkins, who set a new national record for the Bahamas.
"I am very happy with the national record and I am very happy that Bahamas athletics is in such good shape."
On to the 200m
Gay, 25, and the 24-year-old Powell both went into the final undefeated this season but yet to face each other, with the American the one in-form this season following a wind-assisted 9.76 and a season-leading 9.84 in June on his way to the fastest 100m-200m combination in history.
Gay will also compete in the 200m, which he also leads this season with 19.62, as he continues his breakthrough season without regular coach Lance Brauman, who is in jail for embezzlement, theft and mail fraud.
Neither Powell nor Gay had a major title heading into the world championships, although the Jamaican claimed Commonwealth gold last year.
Powell, who false-started out of the last world championships and failed to get out of the blocks in the Athens Olympics, was voted male athlete of last season after 16 successive wins.
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