Tyson Gay

Fastest in America
Tyson Gay said he made a misjudgment in when he decided to slow up in his preliminary round race of the 100m at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials. The decision nearly cost him a spot in the quarterfinals. But Gay took no chances in the next round, blazing his way to victory in his heat in 9.77 seconds. That time broke Maurice Greene's American record of 9.79 set in Athens in 1999 as well as Greene's Olympic Trials record set in 2004, 9.91. It also makes Gay the third-fastest man with the fourth-fastest time of all time.

Fastest of all time
For an encore the following day at the Olympic Trials, Gay won his semifinal heat in a wind-legal 9.85. In the final, he blasted his way to victory in 9.68 seconds. While technically faster than the world record of 9.72, the time will not count toward records because the wind reading with 4.1 meters per second. However, no man has ever run the 100m faster regardless of conditions. The previous best of 9.69 was turned in by Obadele Thompson in April 1996. The tailwind that day was 5.7 mps.

Double denied
Gay's dream of a sprint double at the Games was dashed when he pulled up with a hamstring cramp during his quarterfinal heat of the 200m at the Olympic Trials in Eugene. Gay was about 40 meters into the race when he went down clutching the back of his left thigh. He was wheeled off the track on a stretcher and given treatment. An MRI later in the day revealed the extent of the injury not to be devastating. Gay rested the leg for two weeks and resumed training for Beijing.

Fastest in the world: 100m
Gay placed fifth in the 100m semifinals at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials just months after winning the 2004 NCAA 100m title. But in his mind, it was only a matter of time until he became the fastest man in the world. That moment came at the 2007 World Championships, where he finished in 9.85 seconds. His time was just shy of the season's fastest, 9.84 seconds, which Gay set while defending his title at the U.S. Nationals. The final race at the '07 Worlds also featured former world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica, who appeared to give up at the end and finished third. It was the first -- and much-anticipated -- showdown in 2007 between Gay and Powell.

Fastest in the world: 200m
For all his success in the 100m, Gay's best event may be the 200m. And he earned fastest man honors in that distance as well at the 2007 Worlds. His time of 19.76 seconds set a world championships record. But it didn't eclipse the time he clocked at the '07 Nationals, when Gay won in 19.62 -- second-fastest in history behind Michael Johnson's 19.32 set at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Owens Award
In November 2007, Gay received the Jesse Owens Award. Established in 1981 as USA Track & Field's highest accolade, the award is presented annually to the outstanding U.S. male and female track and field performers. In 2007, Tyson Gay had an historic year, sweeping the 100 and 200 meters at both the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in Osaka and the USA Outdoor Championships. He added World Outdoor gold in the 4x100m to become the fourth man in World Championships history to win three gold medals at a single championship.

Happy at home
After returning from Osaka, Gay returned home to Lexington, Kentucky where he was able to spend time with family and received more honors. "I spent a month back home in Lexington,where I grew up, seeing my daughter and my sister and friends," Gay said. "The mayor gave me the key to the city and my high school honored me at a football game. I am proud to be from Kentucky and I'm glad they are proud of me back home."

Thrice as nice
Before Gay, the only American to win three gold medals at the world championships was Maurice Green, in 1999. And after accomplishing the feat in Osaka, Gay plans on doing the same in Beijing.