Ryan Bailey made a big breakthrough on Sunday in Rieti, Italy, but it has been slow to register with the U.S. media.
He not only broke 10 seconds in the 100 meters in a heat on Sunday, he broke 9.9 in the final. His 9.88 time is tied for the sixth-fastest in U.S. history.
“I’m ecstatic to break 10 and then 9.9 in the same day,” Bailey said. “I knew all year I could run this fast and just had to hold my form together. I had good starts in both races, but not great. My drive phase was better, but still not perfect.”
Jamaica’s Nesta Carter ran 9.78, a big personal best that moved him to No. 5 all-time worldwide.
“In the final, Nesta got out on me and I started to come back on him, but at the end I started over striding and lost balance a little,” Bailey said.
Bailey will race Tuesday in Rovereto, Italy and compete in a field that includes Yohan Blake and Justin Gatlin, a former Olympic champion who is recently returned from a drug-related suspension.
Bailey’s previous PR of 10.05 was set in 2009 when he was still at Rend Lake College.
“He continues to show technical improvement that we have worked all year on,” Bailey’s coach, John Parks, said. “It’s exciting to see him hit his goals. He has made great progress this year.”
Bailey’s time is one of the fastest ever by a 21-year old.
“The race in Rovereto should be a good one, although he did have a mis-step that tweaked his ankle a little bit, and it’s sore,” Parks said.
Bailey might call it a season after Rovereto run one more race over the weekend.
Parks said 9.88 was not a shock.
“He was on pace in New York for 9.90 when he cramped up with 30 meters to go, so we knew this was there. It just needed the right conditions,” Parks said.
