Gay says next race with Bolt will be closer

The next time world champion Tyson Gay steps on the track against Jamaican 100 metres world record holder Usain Bolt, things will be different, Gay predicted on Thursday.

Usain Bolt

Bolt rocketed to a world record 9.72 seconds in his May 31 meeting with Gay in New York, leaving the American a distant second in 9.85 seconds.

The loss pained Gay, who had been the Beijing Olympics favourite. After three weeks tinkering with his running form, he said he too was ready to dip under 9.80 seconds at the US Olympic trials, which began last Friday.

He did so on Sunday, clocking 9.68 seconds, but the world record is not valid because it came with a too-strong tailwind. The day before, in the quarter-finals he ran 9.77 to break Maurice Greene’s American record.

"A lot of people won't think I could make a dramatic change in three weeks," Gay told a news conference, "but the work I have been putting in, working on some of the things that I didn't do in that race (against Bolt), it should put me in a 9.7 (second) race."

Old habits crept back into his running style in New York, Gay said, enabling the lanky Bolt to cover more ground faster and more efficiently.

"That was the difference in the whole race, especially the first 30 metres," Gay said.

He knew he could not give the taller Bolt the luxury of leading that early.

But even if he wins that challenge, can he overcome the mental advantage Bolt has gained with two sub 9.80-second races in recent weeks, Gay was asked.

"When someone comes to your country, kicks your butt and breaks the world record to put the cherry on top, that can put something on your mind," he said.

"But after a week or so I was able to block it out and get back to business. I realised (the record) took a lot of pressure off me."

As the world 100 and 200 champion, Gay was the runner to beat in Beijing. That honour now goes to Bolt or Asafa Powell, who held the world record before Bolt snatched it.

The two Jamaicans are due to meet in their national championships this weekend in Kingston while Gay goes for his own titles in the 10-day US trials.

Bolt and Powell, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, have insisted their meeting will not be a showdown and Gay has made it clear he would not be holding back.

"I really want to come away with two victories, and I want to run a fast time in the 100," he said. "If I can run 9.7 or a (personal record) after four rounds, that will let me know what my fitness level is going into Beijing."