AMERICAN 100m record holder and the second fastest man in history Tyson Gay has denied speculations that he hates double world record-holder Usain Bolt.
In an interview in Split, Croatia on the eve of the start of the IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup competition, Gay dismissed the notion that he hated the Jamaican track superstar.
“I don’t hate Usain Bolt deep down inside (laughs),” the IAAF website quoted Gay as saying when asked to respond to what Bolt had told reporters in London earlier in the week.
Bolt, who is in London promoting the release of his book, is reported to have told the BBC that Gay “probably just hates my guts” because he (Bolt) has dominated major championships over the past three seasons.
Bolt hadn’t lost an individual race in two years until last month, when Gay beat him in Stockholm in a 100- metre race and said, “Deep down I think he probably just hates my guts”.
Gay, however, defined his relationship with Bolt as a mutually respectful one.
“Our relationship is cool. I’ve known him since 2005… 2006, since we’ve been competing against each other in Jamaica. I’ve always had a cool relationship with him on the track and off the track. We’ve never gone to a club together or anything like that, but it’s always been a mutual respect on my part. So that’s how it’s always been for me.”
Gay had beaten Bolt in the 200m at the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, but since then has played second fiddle to the Jamaican at major meets.
The American was also on the losing end when Bolt broke the world record in the 100m for the first time at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York in 2008.
Gay is undefeated over the 100m this season and has beaten all the top Jamaicans including Nesta Carter in Zagreb on Wednesday, “I’m pretty happy with the victory. I didn’t run as fast as I wanted to run, but at the same time I still had the win. I’m undefeated this season (at 100m) and that’s what’s most important.”
Gay, who shares the fastest time in the world this year (9.78 seconds) with Jamaican Carter, is in Split where he will compete in the 4x100m relay as part of the Americas team.
Gay told the press conference he had been looking forward to teaming with both Bolt and Asafa Powell for the relays in Split, but the Jamaicans ended their seasons early.
“I’m a little disappointed. I thought it was going to be Usain, myself, Asafa and someone else. I figure we could run 36 seconds. But maybe another time.”
Gay was not eligible to run the individual 100m as he did not compete at his National Trials.
File photo showing Usain Bolt (right) winning the men’s 100-metres final ahead of American rival Tyson Gay (left) at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany.
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