Gary is one FAST DUDE!!!!!

GO GARY!!!! (I ran a 2:29km in training awhile back.... how does that stack up?)

Reed races to Canadian record in 800 metres

July 29, 2008

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THE CANADIAN PRESS

MONTE CARLO, Monaco – Canada's Gary Reed heads into the Beijing Olympics at the top of his game after racing to a Canadian record in the 800 metres at the Monaco Grand Prix on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old from Kamloops, B.C., ran one minute 43.68 seconds to finish fourth in the race, lowering his own Canadian record of 1:43.93 he set in Rieti, Italy, in 2006.

"He was feeling really good and he felt he was ready to run (a Canadian record), for the last while," his coach Wynn Gmitroski said from Reed's training base in Victoria. "Everything's been going in the right direction."

Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia, the defending Olympic gold medallist, won in 1:42.79, edging Yusuf Saad Kamel of Qatar, who took second in the same time. South Africa's Mbulaene Mulaudzi was third in 1:43.26.

Reed, who captured silver in the world championships last summer in Osaka, Japan, is one of Canada's top hopes for a medal on the track in Beijing. He had run his fastest time of the season to win a race in Belgium earlier this month, but then at the London Grand Prix on Saturday, he was tripped up 200 metres into the race and fell.

Monte Carlo was Reed's final race before Beijing, and Gmitroski said his record performance Tuesday was the perfect way to wrap up his Olympic preparations.

"We were hoping for a personal best, and we knew he was in shape to do it," the coach said. "Especially after getting tripped in London on Saturday, it's nice to come back this way."

Reed will head from Monaco to Singapore, where the Canadian team is holding a training camp before the Olympic track and field begins Aug. 15.

thestar.com