By Mitch PhillipsPosted 2008/08/07 at 12:03 pm EDT
BEIJING, Aug. 7, 2008 (Reuters) — Tyson Gay said the injury that has kept him off the track for the last month has actually helped his preparation as he has been able to relax away from the spotlight and focus fully on the Olympic 100 meters.
"My state of mind is pretty relaxed," Gay said after arriving in Beijing from Germany where he had been having treatment for the hamstring strain he suffered in the U.S. trials at the start of July.
"It was a setback but I think it helped me being away from the media for a while; no interviews for three or four weeks. It's really kept me relaxed. I haven't had anxiety about the whole Olympics because I've just been in rehab, so I think it's really helped mentally.
"I don't feel as much pressure now. My hamstring feels good, I've had a lot of treatment and this is the Olympics so I'm sure that with all the adrenalin flowing I'm going to be 100 percent."
Gay said his absence from last month's big European meetings and the performances of Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt had shifted the pressure on to the Jamaican duo.
"Running my (wind-assisted) 9.6 in the 100, a lot of people said, he has to win, he's got to be the favorite. But at the same time, I had a slight injury, so it put the pressure back on the other competitors."
That 9.68 seconds performance, with an illegal wind, won the U.S. trials but he missed out on a chance to double up in Beijing after pulling up during 200 qualifying.
"I was really upset about missing out on the 200 meters," said the world champion over both sprints.
"I mean I knew that America has up to five great athletes or more, so I knew someone wasn't going to make it. I just didn't think it was going to me. So I was really upset about it, because that was my goal to come back with three gold medals."
Instead it will be Bolt doubling up and Gay has been hugely impressed by his rival's progress.
"He's set the world on fire with the 9.72, the 9.76 and the 9.8. Those are the words to describe him. He's on fire right now. And a 19.6 just to top it all off (in the 200), it shows that he's an all around athlete," said Gay.
"What he's done so far has been phenomenal."
Gay described Powell as the year's "dark horse" and thinks the new attention on Bolt could benefit his fellow Jamaican.
"He doesn't have any pressure on him," he said. "The whole of his country is looking to Usain Bolt to bring home the gold medal and it only makes sense. But he's still a tough competitor and I know he's going to do great things.
"I'm sure this is the first Olympics that we've had three 9.7s ... so I really truly believe that this is going to be one of the most exciting Olympics ever."
(Editing by Jeremy Laurence)
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