Maurice Greene

Champion sprinter still in search of perfection

Muarice Green looks to break his own record in the 100-meter dash. AP

CNNSI Host: Welcome to today's Goodwill Games chat with the World's Fastest Human Maurice Greene. Welcome Maurice, and thanks for joining us.
Maurice Greene: Thank you and glad to be here. Ask me any question you would like.

From Kenny Mac in Oakland: What's up Maurice? I noticed when someone talks about you it is impossible not to mention the name of Ato Boldon your training partner. I read several months ago that Boldon called the 100 meters "a choreographed dance routine." How do you view the 100 meters?
Maurice Greene: I would say it's about the same, because it takes a lot of concentration and a lot of practice to perfect something that is so beautiful to watch. I would also like to say it is poetry in motion.

From Joseph Hegba in Miami: Did you have to improve your flexibility to get faster? How important is breathing in the 100 meter-dash? Do you breathe in to accelerate and breathe out to relax at different intervals during the race?
Maurice Greene: Breathing is very important because you cannot hold your breath for 100 meters. You have to pick and choose where you want to breathe. As far as flexibility, you don't have to be a gymnast, but just as long as you stretch enough to where you won't get hurt. A sprinter wants his muscles to be kind of tight.

From open: Does the cooler weather expected in Edmonton concern you at all?
Maurice Greene: No, not at all. I have no control over the weather, therefore I don't think about anything that I don't have control over.

From Don Olivett in Emporium, Pa.: What percentage of your sprinting ability do you give towards having a positive mental attitude? Do you consider yourself the strongest both physically and mentally in every race? Stay focused, maintain your confidence and have fun!
Maurice Greene: I would say it's like 65 percent mental because when you're running on this level, almost all the athletes have the same ability. But the mind is much stronger and whoever has the strongest mind and doesn't let any outside things bother them has a much better chance of winning.

From skram10: Hey, is Michael Johnson your friend, or do you see him as another person's record you want to beat in the 200 meters?
Maurice Greene: Both! Just because I compete against a person doesn't mean I don't have to be friends with them. Ato Boldon and I are friends, but as soon as we step on the track, we're competitors.

From nine-seven-nine: Mo, how much lower can the world record go? I mean can you beat 9.79?
Maurice Greene: Of course I can. My coach says I can run 9.6, so we'll see what happens.

From Alfonso L. Peterson in Renton, Wash.: I am a 100-200 meter sprinter, and there are a lot of us that feel here in the U.S. that track is a dying sport. As a world class sprinter, do you feel that you have any responsibility to keep our sport alive in the U.S. and to try to bring it to the forefront as far as sports go? If so, how do you intend to do it?
Maurice Greene: Of course I believe I have a responsibility to do that. I feel that every time we run in the states we have to give the best performance we can so people can see the real beauty of the sport. I believe it's coming back, but it's going to take a little longer to get it to one of the top sports in the U.S. But I believe it has the potential.

From Ken Parker in Ottawa, Ontario: What do you think of the new false start rule?
Maurice Greene: They haven't made a new false start rule as of yet, they're just discussing it. Because now they're talking about giving one person one false start, and whoever false starts after that is out of the race.

From nbafan23: Happy Birthday! I was wondering what events are you running in the Goodwill Games?
Maurice Greene: I'm going to run the 100 meters and the 4 x 100-meter relay.

From Kenny Mac in Oakland, Calif.: I know you have retained a lot of knowledge and technique from John Smith over these last five years, but everybody knows about the infamous "drive phase" in the 100 meters. My question is how difficult was it to master that technique with your added power and speed?
Maurice Greene: Well, to tell how difficult it is to master, I haven't mastered it yet. I'm still looking for perfection.

From Woody: Have you run on the Edmonton track yet? Do you know if it is a "hard" surface that favors sprinters?
Maurice Greene: No, I haven't ran on it, but I know it is a Mondo surface. Which will be very good for sprinters.

From Dante Bonett in Peru: Why do most sprinters not eat red meat? Is it good or bad? What could be a good diet for a sprinter?
Maurice Greene: I can only speak for myself. A good diet for sprinters is something very high in protein, because you need more protein than carbohydrates to sprint.

From Justin: Are you looking forward to running where track and field all started in Athens, Greece?
Maurice Greene: Of course, I love running in Greece. Greece is where I won my first world record title, and where I broke my 100-meter world record. Athens has been very good to me.

From Doogie: Yo Mo, do you now regret preening in front of the cameras at the Olympics after the negative reaction you received after you won the 4 x 100 meters?
Maurice Greene: No, I don't regret anything that I have done. I may be sorry for it, but I have no regrets. We went through a lot to get to that point -- to win the gold medal in the Olympics. We were just acting on how good we felt.

From JC: If all the legends were in their prime, and you were racing them in the present, who would be your greatest challenge?
Maurice Greene: I've always said my greatest challenge would be myself. I stick to what I am doing and not worrying about any other competitor. I challenge myself.

From Julius Bruce in Olathe, Kan.: Do you remember when we (Olathe North High School) gave you and Schlagle a run for your money at state in 1993. And do you every feel the pressure of being in the spot light all the time.
Maurice Greene: Of course, you feel the pressure of being in the spotlight sometimes. But I feel I am a good person, and I don't need to worry about how I act. And yes, I do remember that race.

From molstud0358: Who did you look up too when you were a kid? was it an Olympic athlete or a different pro athlete?
Maurice Greene: My brother. I looked up to my brother Ernest because I could talk with him, hit him and run away from him if I wanted to. I have affiliation with my brother, and he was doing a lot of great things when I was growing up. I just wanted to be better than my brother when I was growing up.

From Maurice: Maurice, how long do you see yourself continuing in the sport?
Maurice Greene: As long as the good Lord lets me.

From Trackfan: Maurice, who do you see as the next big runner in sprinting, Mark Lewis-Francis of Great Britain?
Maurice Greene: Lewis Francis has great potential, but you never know who is going to come next. It could be him, and it could not be. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have today with Maurice Greene. Maurice, thanks for joining us and good luck at the world championships and the Goodwill Games.
Maurice Greene: Thank you!