Asafa will have to trip Gay - J o h n s o n
published:
Wednesday | April 30, 2008
Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Tyson Gay of the United States and Asafa Powell of Jamaica (right) compete in the men's 100 metres final at the 11th IAAF World Athletics Championship in Osaka last year. Gay won the event and track legend Michael Johnson says Powell would have to trip Gay to win the Olympic crown in Beijing this year. - File
ASAFA POWELL will have to 'trip' Tyson Gay if he intends to win the Olympic Games 100m title, according to world 200m and 400m record holder Michael Johnson.
In a chat room discussion on the IAAF website on Monday, Johnson, a many-time Olympic champion, was asked "What would your advice be to Powell to win 100m Olympic gold?" . Johnson replied: Trip Tyson Gay."
Johnson, who won the 200m/400m double at the Atlanta Olympic in 1996, said Gay was the better of the two sprinters.
He said Gay, 25, was more consistent, "he's got better performances at Championships".
Johnson made these comments even though in six races between the two, Gay's only victory was at last year's World Championships in Osaka. Powell also has the world record time of 9.74 and 33 sub-10 second times. Gay's personal best is 10.84. "Powell is a great talent but he can never get it done," said the 40-year-old Johnson.
"He's failed time after time at the Championships," said Johnson while making reference to Powell's third-place finish in Osaka last summer, and his fifth at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Johnson even believes Gay will be the one to break his world 200m record of 19.32 seconds.
Difficult
Johnson - File
"All records will be broken sometime but you never know when. Tyson Gay is probably the only person right now that I would say is capable, but it's difficult."
As for his 400m mark of 43.18, Johnson, who is the only male sprint athlete in history to win both the 200m and 400m at the same Olympics, accomplishing the feat at the 1996 Atlanta Games, thinks Jeremy Wariner stands the best chance.
"Yes, but it will be difficult. It may happen this year, it may happen five years from now," added the five-time Olympic Games gold medallist, who is the only man to successfully defend his title in the 400m at the Summer Games. Asked what he thought about Jamaican athletes and why they are so good, Johnson, who also won nine World Championships gold medals, replied: "Part of it is just tradition, but they also start very early teaching good skills for sprinters."
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Coming
in Sports
Tomorrow and Friday, see an exclusive two-part interview with Stephen Francis, coach of world 100 metres record holder Asafa Powell. The outstanding coach speaks on the JAAA, the Jamaica International Invitational meet, Powell's chances in the 100m at the Olympics, Kaliese Spencer, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, the National Championships, performance-enhancing drugs and more ... Don't miss it.
