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Tyson Gay's USA faced a stern test in the 4x100m relay final, up against a Jamaican line-up featuring the likes of deadly pacy duo of Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell but still triumphed.
In the high-stakes world of sprinting, every fraction of a second counts and sometimes unconventional tactics can make all the difference.
American sprinter Tyson Gay recently shed light on a mischievous yet pivotal move that helped Team USA edge out Jamaica in the 4x100m relay final at the 2007 World Athletics Championships.
At the time, the rivalry between Team USA and Jamaica was heating up, with Jamaica boasting a star-studded lineup featuring Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Marvin Anderson, and Nesta Carter.
The Americans Gay, Leroy Dixon, Wallace Spearmon, and Darvis Patton faced an uphill battle, especially after Jamaica outperformed them in the semifinal heat.
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The pressure was on in the final. Gay, fresh off a gold medal in the 100m, was assigned the critical third leg, where he faced Nesta Carter. With Jamaica holding a slight lead, Gay delivered a masterful performance, overtaking Carter to give Team USA the advantage.
However, it was what happened during the baton exchange that stood out. As Gay handed the baton to anchor Leroy Dixon, who was tasked with holding off the formidable Powell, he added an extra push, a physical nudge to boost Dixon’s acceleration.
"People don't know it, but Leroy Dixon was running anchor," Gay explained in an interview with Powell and fellow American sprinter Justin Gatlin on Powell's YouTube channel, The Powells.
"In the heats, Asafa ran him down. So, after the prelims, Leroy comes to the back and he's like, ‘How’d I look? How’s my technique?’ In my mind, I’m thinking, ‘Why the hell do you care about your technique? Asafa just ran by you!’ But I told him, ‘You look good, man. Don’t worry about it; we’re good to go.’"
In the final, Gay took matters into his own hands, adding something a little extra into his baton exchange.
"When I handed him the stick, I was just like, ‘Go. Don’t worry about it, just run,’" Gay said admitting he gave Dixon a push to help him accelerate.
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The subtle push worked wonders as Dixon surged ahead, catching Powell off guard. Despite Powell’s spirited chase, he was unable to close the gap, and Team USA clinched the gold medal as Jamaica settled for silver.
Powell later admitted that the tactic disrupted his focus, further cementing Gay’s move as a masterstroke of relay strategy
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