World champion Tyson Gay's dream of an Olympic double ended in pain when he crashed out of the 200 meters quarterfinals at the US trials in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday.
Already qualified for Beijing in the 100, Gay had run only 12 strides, about 40 meters, of the 200 when he grabbed at his left hamstring and tumbled to track with a severe cramp.
He lay there for several minutes before he was taken away from the facility in a cart.
"Before I went out on the track I felt a little tightness in my hamstring so I had kind of a bad feeling," Gay said in a statement. "When I came off (the first part of) the curve the first two steps were fine, and then I felt it, sort of a pull, about 40 meters in. Once I was on the ground it didn't hurt as much as when it happened."
He went immediately to his hotel room to begin treatment with ice and compression.
"I'll just get it worked on for a few days," said Gay.
The injury was a major blow to the US hopes in Beijing since under the strict qualifying procedure of the trials only the top three finishers make the Olympic team regardless of circumstances.
The stunning development was reminiscent of the 2000 US Olympic trials where both 200 world record holder Michael Johnson and then Maurice Greene crashed out of the 200 final with injuries. Both missed the Sydney Games in the 200, but won gold in their first-choice events.
Gay had won the 100 last Sunday in a wind-assisted time of 9.68 seconds, the fastest time ever run under any conditions. He had set the national record of 9.77 seconds the previous day.
Upon hearing the news of the injury, Jamaican 100 world record Usain Bolt wished Gay a speedy recovery.
"It was unfortunate that this happened," Bolt was quoted by local manager Norman Peart as saying.
"I wish him a speedy recovery and I look forward to seeing him in Beijing," Bolt added, according to Peart who spoke over the telephone from Kingston, Jamaica.
Bolt won both the 100 and 200 at the Jamaican trials although the world 200 silver medalist said he would wait until August before deciding whether to run either the 200 or both sprints in Beijing.
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily July 7, 2008)