Bolt vs. Gay: Superstar Sprinters Collide at London 2012
Two of the world’s greatest sprinters will compete Sunday in the 100-meter finals in London. Jamaican world record holder Usain Bolt is looking to repeat after a dominating, gold medal-winning performance in Beijing in 2008, while American Tyson Gay has been waiting for the opportunity to dethrone Bolt and capture his first Olympic medal.
Gay shocked the track and field world in 2010 with an upset victory over Bolt at the DN Galan Stockholm Diamond League event. It marked only the second time Bolt had lost a 100m event.
The Bolt vs. Gay series is tied at 1-1, setting the stage for the 100m finale in London. Who has the leg up in this battle of supreme speedsters? Handicap it after reading the “Tale of the Tape” below.
Usain Bolt
- Age: 25
- Height: 6’5”
- Weight: 207 pounds
- Country: Jamaica
- Birthplace: Trelawny, Jamaica
- Personal Best: 9.58 seconds, Berlin, 2009 (World Record)
- Olympic Gold Medals: three—100m (9.69), 200m (19.30), and 4x100m Relay (37.10), Beijing, 2008
- World Championship Gold Medals: five—100m (9.58), 200m (19.19), and 4x100m Relay (37.71), Berlin, 2009; 200m (19.40) and 4x100m Relay (37.04), Daegu, 2011
- Sponsor: Puma
- Twitter Followers: 736,000-plus (@usainbolt)
- Website: usainbolt.com
Tyson Gay
- Age: 29
- Height: 5’10”
- Weight: 170 pounds
- Country: USA
- Birthplace: Lexington, Ky.
- Personal Best: 9.69 seconds, Shanghai, 2009 (American Record)
- Olympic Gold Medals: 0
- World Championship Gold Medals: three—100m (9.85), 200m (19.86), and 4x100m Relay (37.78), Osaka, 2007
- Sponsor: adidas
- Twitter Followers: 42,000-plus (@TysonLGay)
- Website: tysongay.net
Photo illustration: Jack Kruyne
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Bolt vs. Gay: Superstar Sprinters Collide at London 2012
Two of the world’s greatest sprinters will compete Sunday in the 100-meter finals in London. Jamaican world record holder Usain Bolt is looking to repeat after a dominating, gold medal-winning performance in Beijing in 2008, while American Tyson Gay has been waiting for the opportunity to dethrone Bolt and capture his first Olympic medal.
Gay shocked the track and field world in 2010 with an upset victory over Bolt at the DN Galan Stockholm Diamond League event. It marked only the second time Bolt had lost a 100m event.
The Bolt vs. Gay series is tied at 1-1, setting the stage for the 100m finale in London. Who has the leg up in this battle of supreme speedsters? Handicap it after reading the “Tale of the Tape” below.
Usain Bolt
- Age: 25
- Height: 6’5”
- Weight: 207 pounds
- Country: Jamaica
- Birthplace: Trelawny, Jamaica
- Personal Best: 9.58 seconds, Berlin, 2009 (World Record)
- Olympic Gold Medals: three—100m (9.69), 200m (19.30), and 4x100m Relay (37.10), Beijing, 2008
- World Championship Gold Medals: five—100m (9.58), 200m (19.19), and 4x100m Relay (37.71), Berlin, 2009; 200m (19.40) and 4x100m Relay (37.04), Daegu, 2011
- Sponsor: Puma
- Twitter Followers: 736,000-plus (@usainbolt)
- Website: usainbolt.com
Tyson Gay
- Age: 29
- Height: 5’10”
- Weight: 170 pounds
- Country: USA
- Birthplace: Lexington, Ky.
- Personal Best: 9.69 seconds, Shanghai, 2009 (American Record)
- Olympic Gold Medals: 0
- World Championship Gold Medals: three—100m (9.85), 200m (19.86), and 4x100m Relay (37.78), Osaka, 2007
- Sponsor: adidas
- Twitter Followers: 42,000-plus (@TysonLGay)
- Website: tysongay.net
Photo illustration: Jack Kruyne