Gay pulls out of historic event

Updated 11.41 Fri Sep 05 2008

Keywords: Golden League, Asafa Powell, Tyson Gay, Usain Bolt

World champion Tyson Gay will miss out on competing in one of the strongest 100 metres line-ups ever assembled for a Golden League event after he withdrew from the Memorial Van Damme meeting through injury.

The American was due to face triple Olympic sprint champion and world record holder Usain Bolt and fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell, who ran the joint second-fastest 100 of all time on Tuesday, in front of a capacity 50,000 crowd.

"It will be chilly on Friday evening and I really would not like to be injured again" - Tyson Gay

Gay, who failed to make last month's 100 metres final in Beijing, is not fully race-fit and does not wish to hinder the hamstring injury he picked up at the US trials in June.

He said: "It will be chilly on Friday evening and I really would not like to be injured again.

"I have been having issues nearly all summer and I wasn't able to run at my best at the Olympics.

"Another injury could jeopardise my preparation for next year's world championships in Berlin."

He added: "I'm so sorry, I really would have loved to be part of this super race but I will be back here next year and I will be at my best."

Gay will be replaced by the Frenchman Ronald Pognon.