Mark Wetmore, president of Global Athletics & Marketing, one of the top track and field talent and meet production shops, has had a tough week in China.

Wetmore represents American sprinter Tyson Gay, a gold-medal contender who failed to get to the finals of the 100 meters during the weekend following an injury-plagued summer. Wetmore also is the agent for Liu Xiang, China’s national sports hero and hurdler who pulled out of the Olympics today with an injury.

Wetmore’s dealings with Liu are competition based, not marketing oriented, Wetmore told SBJ’s Beijing Bureau on Monday night. The Chinese Athletics Association, the nation’s track and field national governing body, handles Liu’s endorsements in China. Wetmore handles only Liu’s meet appearances outside of China.

But for Gay, who has deals with McDonald’s, Alltel, Sega, Omega and Adidas, not getting to the finals and winning a medal will cost him.

“All of his endorsement deals have significant upside in the event he would be the Olympic champion,” Wetmore said. “Those obviously go away.”

Gay's only chance now for a medal is if he runs in the 400-meter relay. He has said he wants to compete in the relay, but U.S. coaches haven't yet named the team. Even then, he has no way of scoring a lucrative individual medal.

From an agent’s perspective, Wetmore said: “It’s been a rough week. I wish I were spending more time trying to find new things. But I’m trying to keep their spirits up. It’s the nature of these things. … But you just hate to see athletes that deserve better than these two have had. These are two of the toughest competitors I’ve been around. If they just got beat that’s easier to leave here. To not ever had a chance, that’s really hard on them.”