Friday, August 27, 1999
Bailey drops anchor
Winning relay formula out, Surin in
By STEVE BUFFERY -- Toronto Sun
SEVILLE, Spain -- Bruny Surin has proved that he is lightning-fast
and yesterday it looked as though he pulled a fast one on the Canadian
men's relay team.
Surin coolly announced he would anchor the 4x100-metre team at the
world track and field championships, at least for Sunday's final, with
Donovan Bailey leading off.
That would put the kibosh on a tried-and-tested winning formula, and
would go against the best judgment of coach Les Gramantik and
Surin's longtime teammates, Bailey and Glenroy Gilbert.
The celebrated Canadian squad has won the past two world
championships and the 1996 Olympic gold, with Bailey at the anchor,
Surin in the No. 3 slot, Gilbert in the second leg and Robert Esmie
leading off.
Esmie didn't qualify for these worlds, but Gramantik said Wednesday
that, given his druthers, he would like to see the traditional order of
Gilbert to Surin to Bailey, with one of the newcomers -- Trevino Betty,
Brad McCuaig or O'Brian Gibbons -- leading off here at the Olympic
Stadium .
"We've never not been successful running that order," Bailey said.
"But I think we can be a success either way."
Bailey, 31, said that he agreed to the new order, with him leading off,
followed by Gilbert, Betty and Surin, after members of the squad met
yesterday, although he didn't give it a ringing endorsement. In fact, he
sounded downright disappointed, even frustrated.
"Glenroy said earlier in the week that he wanted to see the regular
order and the coaches said the same thing, and I agreed. But we had a
meeting and it changed," Bailey said, a hint of exasperation in his voice.
When asked earlier this week what message he would have for the
guys, and Surin in particular, when they met to discuss the order,
Gramantik said: "Would you rather cross the finish line third as an
anchor or see the team win?
"Bruny's the best corner runner we've had. No one can run a curve like him."
Gramantik acknowledged that Surin would get the anchor if he asked
for it. Obviously, he did.
Surin insisted there were no problems when the order was discussed.
"It think it's a good point of view," he said. "I think that puts us in a
very good spot. Not just to try to get second, but to win."
Now the third-leg chore (Gilbert called it the most pivotal) will fall to
the inexperienced Betty, a promising runner who ran that same position
for Canada at last month's Pan American Games. That was the point
the Canadians lost the race to Brazil.
Bailey said he understands why Surin would want to run the
glamorous anchor slot, given he ran the 100-metre final on Sunday in a
sizzling 9.84 seconds -- winning a silver medal.
"I think he's earned the right," Bailey said.
Bailey said he didn't think the change would create dissension. Nor
does he think his relationship with Surin has changed.
"I've been his biggest supporter all year," said Bailey, who skipped the
100 at the worlds as he has yet to round into top form after an Achilles
injury last fall. For that reason, Gramantik had said the relay team
would be best served with Bailey at the anchor as he would have the
benefit of a running start.
But for all of his politically correct responses, Bailey did acknowledge
that the last time he led off, at the Pan Ams, Canada lost.
"I don't want to have a repeat of the Pan Ams where I amassed a
huge lead and then we came in second," he said.
Canada did win the 1994 Commonwealth Games title with this order:
Bailey, Gilbert, Carlton Chambers and Surin. (
geocities.com/colosseum)