Beijing Games still on schedule for Tyson Gay

Tyson Gay (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Photo Gallery>>(BEIJING, July 8) -- On July 5, 100-meter Olympic qualifier Tyson Gay injured his leg in the quarterfinals of the Men's 200-meter during the US Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, thus failing to qualify for that event at the Beijing Olympic Games. His manager disclosed his recent situation and promised that Gay would still participate in the Men's 100m and the 4X100 Relay in August.

The three-time gold medalist of the 2007 World Championships is lucky that his hurt hamstring won't rule him out of all the competitions at the Games. Even though he will not be running the 200m, he will at least be competing in the Men's 100m, for which he has already qualified with a wind-assisted 9.68 second run earlier on in the Trials. "Getting a gold medal is my biggest motivation and I want to save the best for last. My expectations are huge going into the Olympics," Gay said after his amazing sprint.

His left hamstring has been diagnosed as a light muscle strain which will take two weeks to recover. According to United States track and field officials, Gay underwent an MRI late Saturday afternoon at Slocum Center for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Eugene. The MRI showed a mild strain in the semitendinosus muscle. His agent, Mark Wetmore, said that Gay is expected to engage in active rest for up to 14 days, with light physical activity increasing throughout that period, after which the athlete is to resume training.

Gay is considered the main rival of Jamaican talent Usain Bolt in the Men's 100 meters. Bolt is currently the world record holder in the run, clocking 9.72 seconds earlier this year.

Bubba Thornton, coach of the US men's track and field team, is confident that Gay will be ready to take his place alongside Bolt and Asafa Powell (another strong Jamaican sprinter) in what promises to be one of the highlights of the Games. He also insisted that there were no plans to ask for an exception to the selection system to allow Gay to compete in the 200 meters event.

Gay's only confirmed pre-Olympic competition is the 100-meter at the Aviva London Grand Prix on July 25.