Tyson Gay in action (Photo: PA)
Some admission from Tyson Gay, the USA’s top Olympic sprinter, the second fastest man in the world behind Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, that Paralympic sprinter Jason Smyth, who is blind “has better sprinting technique”
The pair have been training together this season. While Gay can run 100 metres in under 10 seconds, he is not quite satisfied with his running technique. Such details, says Gay, are suited for Smyth, the visually impaired sprinter from Ireland who trains alongside him.
“I believe that Jason is very talented,” Gay said. “I honestly think that his running technique is better than mine. Sometimes, when he runs, he reminds me of Maurice Greene. He would be in my top five when it comes to technical guys running,” Gay said of Smyth. “Maurice Greene would probably be No. 1. I think Carl Lewis may be in there, Asafa Powell, Leroy Dixon and then Jason.”
Five days a week, Gay and Smyth spend the winter months training together in the USA and the summer months training together in Europe. Gay’s guidance has proven to be invaluable for Smyth, who won gold in both the 100m and 200m races in the T13 classification at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games and who is hoping for a repeat performance at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London next summer.
“He gives me advice all the time and tells me things he’s seeing or watching and what needs to be changed and what it’s supposed to feel like,” Smyth said. “Getting advice from somebody who’s been there, done it and knows what it’s supposed to feel like, it’s priceless really, isn’t it?”
In fact, Smyth has become so quick on the track that he became the first Paralympic athlete to ever compete in the able-bodied European Championships in 2010 in Barcelona. Smyth, a fast learner who puts his heart into everything, according to Gay, may have the chance to compete at the able-bodied World Championships in South Korea in August, which would push him one step closer toward his ultimate goal of competing in both the Olympics and Paralympics.
Smyth ran a personal-best time of 10.22 seconds in the 100m earlier this year, but that’s only good enough to qualify as a “B” standard for the World Championships. Unless he runs a 10.18 before the end of next month, it will be up to Athletics Ireland – the country’s national Athletics federation – to determine if anyone with a “B” standard time will be a part of its delegation.
Smyth, 24, has come a long way in the last few months. He suffered a setback at the end of 2010 when he had to stay off the track completely for nearly three months due to a serious stress fracture. It sidelined him from the 2011 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, in January, but after several months of rehab and devoting his life completely to training, he is now back on track for London next summer.
Gay revealed that Smyth is extremely talented in getting out of the blocks, but that he is still working on how to best run around the curves of the track. The Irish sprinter is a bit limited because he cannot always see the lanes coming out in front of him with his almost obsolete vision.
Smyth, classified in the T13 category based on his level of visual acuity and visual field, said his sightline is roughly six to eight percent. He can see colours within close proximity; however, all objects are still extremely blurry, almost like looking through an unfocused camera.
“I can find ways to explain it, but I don’t think people can really understand it,” Smyth said. Nonetheless, Gay insists it doesn’t matter whether he can see the lines or not. He just needs to relax and add a little more confidence to his step and he will be just fine.
“Just training with guys who run so quick, you have no choice but to be at your best every day or otherwise you’ll end up being too far behind and you’ll look silly,” Smyth said. “I’m the kind of person that wants to be the best I can be and reach my potential.” He’s on his way there.
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