Kikaya doesn't qualify for 400 finals

BEIJING — Former University of Tennessee standout Gary Kikaya’s dream of an Olympic medal ended Tuesday at the National Stadium.

Kikaya, running for his home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, finished 5th in his semifinal heat of the 400-meter run. Only the top two finishers from each of the three heats, plus the next two fastest times across all heats advanced to Thursday’s final. Kikaya’s time of 44.94 seconds tied for the fifth-fastest time.

Four years ago at the Athens Olympics, Kikaya’s Olympic dream also ended in the semifinals when he finished sixth in his heat.

“I hoped to break the curse,” said the 28-year-old Kikaya. “That was one of my dreams to just come here and go straight to the finals.”

Kikaya, now married and living in Atlanta, said this was likely his last Olympic Games.

“I’m married now, so maybe two years more of running and then hang up my spikes,” said Kikaya, who has been battling Achilles and hamstring injuries to his left leg all year. “I’m not in the best of shape. I’m very unfortunate that I landed in the most difficult heats all the time. Anything can happen. So I was just glad to compete healthy because I had been injured most of the time.”

In the first round on Monday, Kikaya ran a season-best time of 44.89, but finished fourth in his heat. So he didn’t draw an advantageous lane position for the semis, and instead was stuck in lane 2, the inner-most lane with the tightest turns in the race. None of the semifinalists that drew lane two advanced to the finals.

“I had to use my experience,” said Kikaya. “It was very hard. You have to use a combination of speed and strength. Unfortunately I wasn’t in the condition to pull it off.”

But at least he got to compete again. Kikaya said he wishes his former UT roommate Justin Gatlin could be here. The 2004 gold medalist in the 100 meters, Gatlin is serving a four-year ban from international track competition for failing a drug test.

“At the moment with the way the sprints have gone for the USA I strongly agree (Gatlin should be here) because he was strong mentally and physically,” said Kikaya. “He showed a lot of potential coming up. I miss him being out here. He was a friend, he was a teammate, and he was my mentor in terms of strengthening my mind.”

With his Olympic competition over, Kikaya says there’s just one thing left for him to do in Beijing.

“Shop,” he said, smiling. “Spend all my money. It’s cheap to shop in China.”

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!