Tyson Gay delivers after Mom's confidence-booster

By John Bagratuni Aug 26, 2007, 17:41 GMT

Tyson Gay dedicated his 100 metres world title to his imprisoned coach on Sunday night but the biggest help came from his mother. EPA/KIMIMASA MAYAMA

Osaka, Japan - Tyson Gay dedicated his 100 metres world title to his imprisoned coach on Sunday night but the biggest help came from his mother.

Gay and his mother Daisy hugged each other endlessly in the mixed zone after his big achievement.

Another family affair, as Gay had stated earlier that defeats against his sister as a kid inspired him to run fast in the first place.

'It is awesome to watch this happen for him,' said his mother Daisy.

'I told him he's got it. I told him he has a great destination to do great things. I told him to believe in that.'

The mother was referring to plenty of self-doubts after Gay came fourth in the 200m at the 2005 worlds and then wondering what would happen if he didn't deliver as the fastest racer of the year on Sunday night.

'I was wondering if people would still respect me if I lost. My mother told me I had to mature from 2005. She said I shouldn't worry and believe in myself,' he said.

That showed at the start where the hyped duel with world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica was decided in front of a worldwide television audience and a stadium audience including Japan's Imperial Couple, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

Gay got an excellent start by his standard and pulled away in the closing stages to win in 9.85 seconds, just one hundredth of a second outside his personal best.

Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas came second in 9.91 seconds while Powell choked again at a big event to come only third in 9.96 seconds.

'I am disappointed. The pressure got to me. I messed up,' said Powell, whose world record stands at 9.77 seconds.

Gay said: 'I have been waiting for this for a long time. I concentrated on my reaction on the start and it was excellent.'

Not present for the big race was Gay's coach Lance Brauman, who is serving a prison term for embezzlement with the earliest possible release date next Tuesday.

Like his mother, Gay's coach mainly instilled self-belief in the sprinter.

'He told me that he knows that when he wakes up today I will be the world champion,' said Gay.

'I dedicate this victory to him.'

Gay was not disappointed that the world record didn't fall as there were plenty of more races to come, including duels with Powell.

'We have a great rivalry coming up. I want to race against all the best runners,' said Gay in reference to some more big European meets in September and the Beijing Olympics next year.

Given his world-leading 19.62 seconds, Gay is also the top pick for the 200m in Osaka to step into the footsteps of the 2005 double champ Justin Gatlin as the latest American star.

Gatlin is suspended for doping and Gay expressed his gratitude that he was not confronted with drugs all the time but rather his races that made him the latest entry into the American sprint pantheon.