'It Sucked' - Tyson Gay Reflects On Life During the Usain Bolt Era

Tyson Gay has opened up about what it felt like running during the time Usain Bolt was dominating the sprinting scene.

Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt were both able sprinters in their own right, but the fastest man alive, Bolt, would always steal the spotlight on many occasions.

Being the fastest man meant that he would always be recognised, and Tyson Gay only got to be referred to as the second-fastest man, something he never fancied.

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Usain Bolt remains the fastest man, having clocked a world record time of 9.58 seconds at the 2009 World Championships. Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake tied in second place, having clocked 9.69 seconds.

Tyson Gay clocked the time at the 2009 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix, while Yohan Blake achieved the honours after clocking the time at the 2012 Diamond League Meeting in Lausanne.

Tyson Gay revealed that competing against Usain Bolt kind of overshadowed him, but it also motivated him to become a better sprinter.

The three-time world champion pointed out that during that era, fast times were being dropped, and his being in a position to hold the second-fastest man tag for years is proof of how strong the competition was.

He added that he would have wanted to surpass Usain Bolt at that time, but it was inevitable, noting that he was still able to produce fast times even when injured.

Tyson Gay further revealed that he cannot wait to see his American record being broken and hopefully, even witness Usain Bolt’s record being broken.

“It sucked but it was definitely good…it sucked but in a good way. My heart always goes out to Usain Bolt but at the same time when you get introduced as the number two every time, I always felt like, ‘Not again.’,” Tyson Gay said in an interview with Flo Track.

“But it was cool, man, because like you say, I’ve had that record for so long and I’m sitting here and enjoying the sport, waiting for other people to run faster than me and faster than Usain. I’m patiently waiting because I know it’s going to happen, because that’s just the way it is.

“During that time, it was a blessing to run those times with injuries and trying to regroup. It was incredible but it also sucked when you are trying to get to the number one but Usain Bolt was still there.”

Tyson Gay went ahead and retired in 2017, the same year Usain Bolt did. He participated in the 2017 World Championships, marking the end of his competitive career. He has since transitioned to coaching.