By Michael Takeuchi
(Twitter @Irontak)
**UPDATE (8/10)
In what was the greatest 800 ever, Kenya's David Lekuta Rudisha's wire-to-wire run broke his own world record in 1:40.91 (!) to capture gold, Botswana's Nijel Amos (1:41.73) won silver and Timothy Kitum grabbed bronze in 1:42.53. Gray's runner Duane Solomon ran a 1:42.82 while US teammate Nick Symmonds clocked 1:42.95, which placed them a respective fourth and fifth in a field where two runners went under 1:42, five under 1:43, and all eight broke 1:44.
http://www.alltime-athletics.com/m_800ok.htm
Solomon's 800 time was fourth best American, tops among runners not-named Johnny Gray. In addition to his AR 1:42.60, Gray ran a 1:42.65 and 1:42.80. Solomon has not reached his peak and could break that record as early as this summer. Gray emailed on Thursday and one could tell just how excited he was for his runner.
On Thursday, August 9, 2012, Johnny Gray II
*Note a slightly similar story by this author appeared in the Santa Barbara News-Press. The link is provided at the bottom.
Johnny Gray's emails don't just say something, they shout things. Despite it being an email, I had to turn down the volume a bit lest the neighbors complain. But who could blame him? Duane Solomon, the 800-meter runner he coaches just exploded with a p.r. at the Diamond League meet in Monaco in late July
"HELLO MIKE!
I know you heard about Dwayne's 1:43.44 race in Monaco? Well that made him the fifth fastest American ever! I told you he was ready! He is looking really good and to come off a plane and run 1:43.44 against a tough field like that gave him big confidence!"
Johnny
And when one spend times with, that enthusiasm is infectious whether it is a big meet, a warm-up session of a workout or an email. But while electronics keep people in touch, there is nothing like a personal experience that gives one a better idea on the person.
And once one meets Johnny Gray, the visitor discovers that it is an unforgettable one. With a warm smile and a running dialogue that calls to mind former Harlem Globetrotters frontman Meadowlark Lemon, he is a sight to behold. In conversation, he seizes your thought and takes you into the "Gray Zone" a place where he often took opponents while being the best American 800-meter runner in history.
The four-time Olympian speaks his mind and doesn't worry about "on the record" and "off the record". I have to say,who as a mediocre high school runner in the 1980's I looked up to Gray, who STILL holds the A.R. (1:42.60 in 1985) because he was the one who didn't sit back and wait to kick, he seized the race from the start while taking runners into that oxygen deprived "Gray zone."
He did exactly that when he won bronze medal in Barcelona in 1992. When asked after the race what would he have done differently, he reportedly responded.
"I would have taken it out harder!"
And after molding Khadevis Robinson to five national championships, former UCLA runner Cory Primm to a solid year last year, in Solomon, he has the guy who he thinks could be right there in today's Olympic final. Despite a tough field that includes world record holder (1:41:01) and 2011 IAAF world champion Kenyan David Rudisha, Gray expressed unwavering faith in his athlete.
"If he sticks to the plan..., he'll make the Olympic final," Gray said in Los Angeles several weeks ago. "And if he does, he just has to let Rudisha take him to the Promised Land. I think Nick (Symmonds) is a good racer, but if I were a betting man, I would bet on Duane. He has the potential to be the next great American 800-runner."
And Robinson?
"How many (national championships) has he won since I stopped coaching him?" Gray laughed.
The answer of course was none. While Solomon and Symmonds as well as Rudisha advanced, Robinson failed to make the Olympic finals earlier this week. He said that Solomon is poised to shock some people for several reasons.
"Duane has the talent, but what's so good about him is that he's loyal, coachable, and sticks to the plan," Gray said. "He never comes to practice saying, 'Coach I need more of this or that because if he did that, that means he's listening to people on the outside, like agents. I never understood that because what does an agent want you to do? Race as much as you can so he can get his percentage."
"It's funny. Because in the past, these kind of people used to say that I'm not smart. Tell me, if I'm not smart, why am I the only American to go under 1:43? Then I'd rather not be smart because all the smart Americans can't do it. I'm telling him the same thing I did with my coach, listen. He taught me to trust my shape and he taught me that when I ran against athletes that are dirty, don't let that make you join them. Make them realize that they need to stay dirty to keep up with you."
"My coach taught me to turn a negative into a positive which made me stay true to myself and not allow the opinion of another to dictate who I am. I let the coach who took this journey with me (Merle McGee) help me dictate who I am.
"And now Duane Solomon is allowing me to take the journey with him every morning at 6 a.m.- going through the ups and downs with him-realizing you gotta give some butt to get some butt.
"He's gone through that and now he's starting to reap the benefits from everything that he's gone through. Hard work outdoes talent that doesn't work hard. As long as he continues to keep working hard, he could be the next American to go under 1:43. My American record is soft for him, he could break that within the next year. But right now we're after bigger things because he can do every bit of what Rudisha is doing as long as he continues to improve."
"That's HUGE!" Gray bellowed. "I never did that!"
While his athlete recovered, Gray continued to pace and encourage Solomon with a smile on his face-proud not only of the split, but the fact that he showed willingness to go into the "Gray Zone."
Mike Takeuchi can be reached via email at Miketakeuchi88@gmail.com
Santa Barbara News-Press article link:
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=SPORTS&ID=566463112920825893&Archive=true
No comments:
Post a Comment