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U.S. Track and Field Notebook: Sprinter Gay changes his way of thinking

U.S. Track and Field Notebook: Sprinter Gay changes his way of thinking

EUGENE, Ore. -- If Tyson Gay is looking over his shoulder during the United States Track and Field Olympic Trials, it's not so much at his countrymen, even though the men's 100-meter run has a competitive field.

Gay's place as the world's dominant sprinter -- he is the reigning world and U.S. champion at 100 and 200 -- crumbled some May 31 when he was beaten by Jamaica's Usain Bolt, who surprised the sports world by setting a world record of 9.72 seconds.

Bolt has Gay thinking not just of qualifying for the Beijing Games but also of making a statement.

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"Honestly, I really want to come away with two victories, in the 100 and 200," said Gay, who will turn 26 during the Olympics. "And I want to run a fast time in the 100-meter dash. ... I don't really want to throw times out there, but, honestly, if I can run 9.7 or [beat my personal best of 9.84] after four rounds, that will let me know what my fitness is going into Beijing.

"As long as I'm healthy, run fast, win both -- that may sound a little greedy, but that's what I really want to do. My mind frame is totally different now. I do not want to lose."

Of course, neither do the other U.S. sprinters. The 100 heats begin today, with the semifinals and final tomorrow.

Among others to watch is Wallace Spearmon, who in the past year has branched out from his specialty, the 200.

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"This is my first time in a major competition in the 100," said Spearmon, whose top time is 9.97.

"I'm here hoping to win it, not just make the team, but to win it.

"I'm going to leave everything on the track. This is what I've been training for. This is my NBA playoff. This is my Super Bowl. This is my everything. This is why I'm here."

There are eight others in the field who have run in under 10 seconds.

Justin Gatlin, whose bid to have a doping suspension overturned failed in federal court Thursday, is not here. Gatlin won the 100 Olympic gold medal in 2004.

Fountain breaks 3 records

Hyleas Fountain's time of 12.65 in the 100 hurdles portion of the heptathlon, worth 1,178 points, broke Jackie Joyner-Kersee's American, meet and USA National Championship records.

Fountain, a former Georgia athlete and 2007 national champion, finished the four-event first day in the lead with 3,989 points.

Gigi Johnson, a Penn State volunteer coach, is fourth at 3,671. Penn State junior Gayle Hunter dropped out after three events.

10,000 final

In the first final of the trials, Shalane Flanagan won the women's 10,000 in 31:34.81, a Hayward Field record. When she ran her first 10,000 at a meet in May, she obliterated the U.S. record by 17 seconds, running a 30:34.49.

She will be joined on the Olympic team by Kara Goucher (31:37.72), whose bronze at the 2007 World Championships was the first American medal at that meet; and Amy Begley (31:43.60), who barely made the A qualifying time for the Games.

Quite an opening

The trials' opening ceremony featured a Chinese dance team said to ward off evil spirits, a retrospective on historic Hayward Field, recognition for various organizers and officials and an F-15 flyover.

The highlight, though, was a walk around the track by members of the 1980 Olympic track team, which did not compete in Moscow because of a boycott.

First Published: June 28, 2008, 9:00 a.m.

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