Gay: I'll be ready for Olympic 100m showdown

(CNN) -- World champion Tyson Gay says he will be fit to take his place on the blocks as he bids for 100 meters glory at the Beijing Olympics next week.

Gay, who clocked an astonishing 9.68 seconds in a wind-assisted effort at the U.S. trials, damaged his hamstring as he stumbled in the 200 meters heats at the same meeting.

It left the 100 meters as his only individual event at the Games and raised fears that he would not be fully fit to challenge Jamaican stars Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell in an eagerly-awaited showdown.

But Gay has no doubts he will be ready for the start of the 100 meters on August 15.

"When I step on the line in Beijing, don't worry. I'll be ready to go," Gay told the Associated Press before departing for China from Munich, Germany.

He has decided to fly to Beijing and skip going to the U.S. track team's training camp in Dalian because he wants be at Friday's opening ceremony.

Gay completed the 100-200 sprint double at last year's world championships in Osaka, but Bolt easily beat him in setting a new 100m world record of 9.72 seconds in New York in May.

He skipped the London Grand Prix meeting at the end of July to remain in training in Munich with coach Jon Drummond and to receive treatment from an orthopedic specialist.

Gay's place in the U.S. 400 meters relay squad is apparently assured, despite missing the training camp, a usual pre-condition for selection to the team.

An official of USA Track and Field told that Associated Press that Gay would not be required to come.

Organizers of the British Grand Prix meeting at Gateshead on Sunday August 31 announced on Tuesday that Gay and Powell will go head-to-head in the 100 meters.

Gay, who skipped competing against Powell in London, said he was looking forward to the post-Olympic race.

"It was just too much of a risk for me to run in London and I apologize to the British fans for not running there," Gay said.

"But I promise I will make it up to them in Gateshead."

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