12 August,2009 07:47 AM IST | | A Correspondent
American reigning World sprint double champion Tyson Gay yesterday admitted that last year's Beijing Olympics, where an injured hamstirng restricted him from qualifying for the 100m final, was a disappointment.
However, he said he was fit and ready to challenge the world's fastest man, Jamaican Usain Bolt at the upcoming IAAF World Athletics Championship in Berlin (August 15-23).u00a0
"It was very frustrating what happened in Beijing.
I didn't really recognise what Usain had done in the 100m in Beijing until I saw the replay. That was so exciting." Gay told reporters here.
"It took a little time for me to get over what happened to me (in Beijing). But I understand that there's a time for everything and last year wasn't mine,"
"I feel pretty good and I feel confident. My training has been going well.
"I just have to stay focussed and stick to my goal and that's to win in Berlin.
Gay however said he respected the jamaican for whatever he had achieved till date.
Bolt cruised to his three gold medals with three world records at the Beijing Gamesu00a0a feat no athlete has ever managed to do achieve at the Olympics.
Bolt broke the 100m world record twice last year, with the current Olympic mark of 9.69 seconds being the fastest ever.
The 22-year-old also set a world mark in the 200m event clocking 19.30seconds.
"I give respect where respect is due. And Usain Bolt deserves respect. What he does on the track is stuff that other people can't do. And that right there motivates me to train harder, be the best I can be and reach goals that no one else has done before," Gay said.
Gay and Bolt have been running toe-to-toe this year, with Gay slightly ahead with his world leading marks of 9.77 seconds in the 100m and and 19.58 seconds in the 200m, compared to Bolt's 9.79u00a0 (100m) and 19.59 (200m).
