| Already a superstar himself, the fastest man in | | | | This will make us all eager to find out together in one |
| America, the fastest man to run under any condition, | | | | of the most highly anticipated races in Olympic |
| a world champion, and a possible star of the Beijing | | | | history. |
| Olympics. But when he got up close Kobe Bryant at | | | | If all goes as expected, the 100 final on Saturday will |
| the gym during their stay in Beijing, Tyson Gay | | | | allow three men who have broken 9.8 seconds to |
| without inhibitions, showed that he was a fan of the | | | | meet head-on. Powell owned the world record at |
| basketball superstar. | | | | 9.74 seconds. Bolt broke it in May at 9.72. Gay, |
| He was star-struck as he pose with Bryant for a | | | | before he got hurt at Olympic trials, ran a wind-aided |
| photo, and he even text messaged his mom about it. | | | | 9.68; it didn't count as a world record, but his 9.77 in |
| Fellow Olympian Bryant asked Gay about his recently | | | | a qualifying heat did overset Maurice Green's |
| injured hamstring. | | | | nine-year-old American mark. |
| Everybody is eager to know about his condition: | | | | Humble at 25, Gay said that he can't really compare |
| Kobe wants to know about it. Asafa Powell and | | | | himself to Maurice Green yet. He further said that he |
| Usain Bolt, Gay's chief competitors in the 100 meters, | | | | hasn't reached that status, not even close. For one, |
| certainly want to know about it. And Gay himself is | | | | Greene has two Olympic 100 meter medals, including |
| probably getting uneasy to see how the hamstring | | | | gold at Sydney 2000. This is Gay's first Olympic |
| will react Friday when he runs the preliminary 100 | | | | games. |
| meter heats. This is his first real races since going | | | | There are indications he could be closing on Greene, |
| down at Olympic trials last month. | | | | especially after winningworld championships in the 100 |
| At a news conference Monday, Gay again told the | | | | and 200 last year. |
| press that he is 100 percent conditioned and ready, | | | | It will, however, take more than great performances |
| but conceded he had his doubts as he was lying on | | | | to become America's next track super star. Greene |
| the track in Eugene, Oregon, after his hamstring | | | | used to enjoy junctures leading up to races flexing |
| seized up and sent him agonizing in pain in the | | | | his muscles, pacing and trying to intimidate the seven |
| 200-meter trials. | | | | guys lined up with him. But Gay said, when he's in the |
| "I was in a little bit of a panic because, you know, | | | | blocks, if he's not shaking, he really is thinking about |
| the injury, you know, it really hurt," Gay shared. "But | | | | trying to react. |
| when I was on the ground, it kind of eased out a | | | | It's hard to imagine Greene being in awe of NBA |
| little bit. It could have been adrenaline or whatever." | | | | celebrities during past opening ceremonies. |
| After that incident, he immediately went under an | | | | Gay even told coach Bubba Thorton that he wanted |
| intensive four weeks of therapy, including a stay in | | | | to get close to Bryant during the athlete's march into |
| Germany for work with a doctor known for | | | | the stadium Friday night (the day before Gay's 26th |
| cutting-edge treatments. | | | | birthday). He wanted to get close to Kobe so he can |
| Gay declined a race in London late last month, not | | | | get on TV. Coach Thorton just said that he would be |
| because he couldn't compete, but because it meant | | | | fine if he stays where he is. And indeed, he got his |
| more for him to be 100 percent coming to the | | | | own air time amid the sea of U.S. athletes parading |
| Olympics than risking being 85 percent just to go to | | | | into Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium. |
| a meet to see where he's at. | | | | |