Monday, September 01, 2008 

Move over Michael Phelps

Move over Michael Phelps; we have a new Olympic hero. It may seem strange that on the same day that the miraculous Michael Phelps secured his title as Greatest Olympian in History that another American should secure his place in my mind as the Olympic standard. It may be particularly strange since this person did not even make the Olympic final. As a former track athlete who can barely flounder through two continuous laps in the pool, I may have a potential bias. None-the-less, Tyson Gay is my Olympic hero. Saturday August 16, 2008 had been the day Tyson Gay had been dreaming of his entire life. For the past four years Gay had dedicated every moment and every ounce of energy into becoming the Olympic 100m champion. A win that would give him the title of World's Fastest Man.

American sprinters have been known to be particularly jubilant, expressive winners. Some have put a sour taste in foreign (and some domestic) mouths with their shirtless celebrations and trash talking. Gay is none of that. He is stoic during prerace hype and humble in winning. After the race he gives articulate interviews with a smile and thanks the crowd for their support.

And did I mention that he loves his mother. He talks with her nearly every day. Maybe he's too good. Maybe in America we need a little more controversy and melodrama. Maybe even a good tabloid scandal. I hope not. I hope for all of us to see Tyson Gay's smiling face on Wheaties boxes and in commercials for a long time to come.

Unfortunately, we now know he is also a gracious loser. In the Olympic Trials earlier this summer, Gay won the 100m in commanding fashion. He showed the Jamaicans that they would have their hands full at the Olympic games. He set the American record in the semi finals. Then there was a slight tailwind in the finals and he ran faster than any human ever has, with or without a wind. The wind did prevent it from counting as a world record but it appeared to be a sign of things to come. However, it was not to be. In the 200m later that week Gay fell hard to the track with a stained hamstring. He had been the favorite for Olympic gold in the event and now he wouldn't get the chance. It also put his 100m chances in jeopardy. Still he offered no complaints, just optimism that he could be ready for the 100m in the Olympics.

Again, it was not to be. He was able to nurse his hamstring back to health by the Olympics but he had lost too much training time. He didn't look like himself in the heats or quarterfinals but he was making it through the rounds. Finally, in the semi finals the dream came to an end. He ran the best race he could but failed to make it to the finals. Within minutes of finishing he was giving an interview. For the reining World Champion in a sport where only the Olympics excite the public it must have been devastating. I've seen many Olympians break down in tears in less heart wrenching moments. This was probably his best shot at Olympic gold and fulfilling that all-consuming childhood dream. Yet he did not decline the immediate post race interview. Nor did he use it as a platform to make excuses. Tyson Gay told the world that he was 100% now after the injury and that it just wasn't his day. While the hamstring may not currently hurt, clearly he wasn't 100%. For a man who ran 9.68 at the Olympic Trials, 10.07 is a long way off. In a moment when years of hard work just failed to pay off, when the expectations of a nation, and his own expectations, have just been left unfulfilled, Gay refused to make any excuses. He represented the Red, White and Blue the best he could on the track and represented every one of us with even greater dignity off the track. I hope that every young athlete in America sees this interview. Then they will know how to carry themselves as adults and every little boy will know how to be a man.