Once a burgeoning star turned track villain, Gatlin revitalized his career and put himself into the conversation of all-time great sprinters. After the race, he said he’s planning to talk to his coaches and inner circle to see what’s next. This, however, was his last shot to compete on the world’s biggest stage.
For the better part of four years, the 39-year-old Gatlin ran, ate, lifted and trained with the Tokyo Olympics in the back of his mind. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and four years became five. The U.S. Olympic track and field trials were the culmination of all that work, and all of that waiting.
And then, in less than 11 seconds, it was over.
Gatlin, a three-time Olympian, aggravated a hamstring injury in the men's 100-meter final Sunday and limped across the finish line in last place in what will almost certainly be his final appearance at the Olympic trials.
"It’s a very rare opportunity," Gatlin said through tears, "that you are witnessing something you’re going to do for the last time, when you’re doing it."
“We put our hearts, blood, sweat and tears into this moment,” Gatlin said, having to pause between sentences. “The performance that we put out there as athletes is our heart, our heart. You never realize as an athlete there’s going to be an end until the end comes.”
Sunday was quite possibly the final moment in his tumultuous career. The controversy surrounding Gatlin started back at the turn of the century when he tested positive for amphetamines as a fleet-footed freshman at the University of Tennessee. He was then banned from international competition for two years. He claimed he’d been taking the drugs since he was a child to treat ADHD.
But he was still allowed to race collegiately, where he became a six-time national champion for the Volunteers. After two seasons, he elected to turn pro.
In 2004, Gatlin qualified for his first Olympics. When he clocked 9.85 on his way to winning the gold medal, he was just one-hundredth of a second off the Olympic record.
------ Post added on Jul 24, 2021 at 7:44 AM
For the better part of four years, the 39-year-old Gatlin ran, ate, lifted and trained with the Tokyo Olympics in the back of his mind. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and four years became five. The U.S. Olympic track and field trials were the culmination of all that work, and all of that waiting.
And then, in less than 11 seconds, it was over.
Gatlin, a three-time Olympian, aggravated a hamstring injury in the men's 100-meter final Sunday and limped across the finish line in last place in what will almost certainly be his final appearance at the Olympic trials.
"It’s a very rare opportunity," Gatlin said through tears, "that you are witnessing something you’re going to do for the last time, when you’re doing it."
“We put our hearts, blood, sweat and tears into this moment,” Gatlin said, having to pause between sentences. “The performance that we put out there as athletes is our heart, our heart. You never realize as an athlete there’s going to be an end until the end comes.”
Sunday was quite possibly the final moment in his tumultuous career. The controversy surrounding Gatlin started back at the turn of the century when he tested positive for amphetamines as a fleet-footed freshman at the University of Tennessee. He was then banned from international competition for two years. He claimed he’d been taking the drugs since he was a child to treat ADHD.
But he was still allowed to race collegiately, where he became a six-time national champion for the Volunteers. After two seasons, he elected to turn pro.
In 2004, Gatlin qualified for his first Olympics. When he clocked 9.85 on his way to winning the gold medal, he was just one-hundredth of a second off the Olympic record.
------ Post added on Jul 24, 2021 at 7:44 AM
