UPDATE 1-Olympics-Athletics-Gay crashes out of U.S. 200 metres

(adds details, byline)

By Gene Cherry

EUGENE, Oregon, July 5 (Reuters) - World champion Tyson Gay crashed out of the 200m at the U.S. Olympic trials when he fell about 40 metres into the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Gay grabbed at his left hamstring and fell to the track after running only 12 strides into the curve.

The injury was a major blow to the U.S. team and Gay, who had hoped to repeat his world 100 and 200 metres victories at the Beijing Olympics.

He had won the trials 100 metres last Sunday in a wind-assisted time of 9.68 seconds, the fastest time ever run under any conditions.

The U.S. also lost 1996 Olympic 110-metres hurdles champion Allen Johnson to injury on a costly day.

The 37-year-old Johnson cleared only four hurdles in the opening round before succumbing to a season-ending tendon injury.

(Editing by Miles Evans)

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