Gay's double hopes ended by cramp in trials

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - Tyson Gay's hopes of an Olympic sprint double ended in agony on Saturday after the 200 meters world champion crashed out of the U.S. trials when his leg seized up during the quarter-finals.

Gay tumbled to the track about 40 meters into the race with what his agent diagnosed as a severe cramp in his left hamstring.

The injury means Gay will now compete in just the 100 meters and 4x100 relay at next month's Beijing Games.

"Before I went out on the track I felt a little tightness in my hamstring so I kind of had a bad feeling," Gay said in a statement.

"I felt it, sort of a pull, about 40 meters," the 25-year-old added.

Heading to his hotel immediately to receive treatment, Gay was lucky enough to suffer no further damage, agent Mark Wetmore said.

The setback is a major blow to U.S. hopes in Beijing and once again brings into question the strict American qualifying procedure.

Only the top three finishers at the trials make the Olympic team regardless of circumstances.

A similar situation deprived the United States of its top 200 meters runners at the 2000 Olympics, when world record holder Michael Johnson and then-100 meters holder Maurice Greene crashed out of the trials final with injuries.

Both missed the Sydney Games in the longer sprint but won gold in their first-choice events.

JAMAICAN CHALLENGE

Gay had hoped to duplicate his 2007 world 100 and 200 meters titles at Beijing.

He showed he was ready to challenge Jamaican world record holder Usain Bolt and his predecessor Asafa Powell in the 100 meters by winning the trials in the fastest time under any conditions, a wind-assisted 9.68 seconds.

Gay is scheduled to meet Jamaican Powell over 100 meters in London on July 25.

In Gay's absence, Rodney Martin, Wallace Spearmon Jr and Walter Dix joined 2004 Olympic gold medalist Shawn Crawford in advancing to Sunday's final.

Martin clocked a wind-assisted 20.04 seconds in one semi-final with Spearmon finishing in 20.05 and Dix running 20.09.

Crawford won the other semi-final in 20.21 seconds.

Unlike Gay, world champion Allyson Felix eased into the final of the women's 200 meters after she recorded a brisk 22.22 seconds to lead all qualifiers from the semi-finals.

However, the 1996 Olympic 110 meters hurdles gold medalist Allen Johnson crashed out of his event with a season-ending tendon injury after clearing four barriers in the opening round.

"Hopefully I'll be back next year," the 37-year-old Johnson said, the four-times world champion adding that these were his final Olympic trials.

Allen has represented the United States at three previous Games.

U.S. indoor champion David Oliver posted the top quarter-finals time of 13.07 seconds, with two-time Olympic silver medalist Terrence Trammell among those advancing.

(Editing by John O'Brien)

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