Gay Shines At Reebok Grand Prix

American Tyson Gay set one of nine world leading marks on Randall’s Island in New York.

The 2009 edition of the Reebok Grand Prix at Ichan Stadium on Randall’s Island lived up to most every expectation.  When the final tape was broken, nine new 2009 world leading marks and the record for the fastest 5,000 meters ever run on American soil had been set.

Some stars came from unlikely places. America’s Anna Willard setting a three-second PR in the 800 (1:59.23) … not bad for a steeplechaser!  American Olympian Christin Wurth Thomas (4:03.96) gave the field a clinic in the women’s 1,500 with a PR of her own.  Then, after the cameras went down on the NBC coverage, but thankfully stayed on for the internet feed (yay!), Kenyan Micah Kogo (13:02.90) won a great battle with American Bernard Lagat (13:03.06) in the men’s 5,000 meters, finishing with the fastest time ever run on American soil.

The race of the day, however, was the men’s 200 meters.  Tyson Gay took on a field that included world champion 400-meter runner Jeremy Wariner, and, along with Gay, two more of the other top-five fastest performers ever at the distance, Xavier Carter and Wallace Spearmon.  Gay had an amazing start and only got better as he destroyed the field, and in the process ran the third-fastest time ever, with a mark of 19.58.  Gay definitely sent a message to his Jamaican rival Usain Bolt.  Gay is back and ready to reclaim the title as world’s fastest man.  As much as we would all love to see them race, however, it is unlikely Bolt and Gay will meet before the World Championships in Berlin this summer.

If this early-season meet is any indicator of what is to come this summer in Berlin, then we are in for some amazing track action!

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