EUGENE, Ore. — Justin Gatlin won the 200-meter final Saturday at the U.S. Olympic trials and qualified for his third Olympics.

Gatlin ran the 200 in 19.75 seconds to nudge out LaShawn Merritt. Also making it was Ameer Webb, who finished ahead of high schoolers Noah Lyles and Michael Norman.

Gatlin, the world silver medalist at 100 and 200 meters, was stuck on the outside lane thanks to finishing behind Norman in the previous day’s semifinals.

Unable to see the competition as he worked the curve, it turned the race into what he called “a glorified time trial.”

It turned into quite a showdown along the stretch, with Gatlin edging Merritt, the 400-meter specialist, by a mere .04 seconds.

Allyson Felix made it through her semifinal and will be in the eight-woman 200-meter final Sunday.

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WOMEN’S JAVELIN: Maggie Malone, who one month ago won the NCAA title, won the javelin throw at the trials with a throw of 199 feet, 7 inches.

Malone hails from Geneva, Nebraska, a tiny town southwest of Lincoln.

“I’m out of words,” she said. “I’m from a town of like 2,000 with one stoplight. This is insane.”

As a senior at Texas A&M, Malone tossed an NCAA collegiate record of 204-0 last month at the NCAAs.

Hannah Carson finished second in the event with a throw of 190-11 but doesn’t have the Olympic qualifying standard.

American record holder Kara Winger finished third to make her second Olympic team, and fourth-place finisher Brittany Borman, who has the standard, will also go to Rio.

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MEN’S 110 HURDLES: Aries Merritt won’t get a chance to defend his Olympic gold medal. And Jason Richardson won’t get a chance to defend his silver.

In a surprise finish at the trials, Oregon wide receiver Devon Allen won the event in 13.03 seconds. He was followed by Ronnie Ash and Jeff Porter. They will represent the United States in Rio.

Merritt, the world record holder in the event, finished fourth just .01 seconds behind Porter. Richardson was fifth.

Merritt was vying to defend his title in London despite having a kidney transplant last September, and then follow-up surgery because of complications.

“I’ve come to grips with it. Nothing can be worse than being told you’ll never run again, even if you come up a little bit short. I’ve won Olympic games, broken the world record. Someone else can have a turn, I guess,” Merritt said.

MEN’S TRIPLE JUMP: London silver medalist Will Claye won the event at the trials to earn a spot on the team for the Rio Games. Christian Taylor and Chris Bernard also will head to Brazil.

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GOLF: U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson withdrew from the Rio Games because of concerns over the Zika virus, costing golf three of the world’s top four players for its return to the Olympics after a 112-year absence.

Jordan Spieth is the only player from the top four who has not said if he is going to Brazil. A decision could come as early as this weekend ahead of the British Open. Rickie Fowler also is undecided.

Johnson, No. 2 in the world after his U.S. Open title and another World Golf Championship victory last week, is the 13th player to pull out of the Rio Games. Eight of them, including world No. 1 Jason Day and world No. 4 Rory McIlroy, specifically cited Zika as the reason.

THE IAAF said its doping review board had ruled U.S.-based Russian long jumper Daria Klishina meets the “exceptional eligibility criteria” to take part in international competition as a neutral athlete, clearing the way for her to possibly compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

It said Klishina’s participation was still subject to acceptance by the IOC.

The IAAF has already approved an application from Russian athlete and doping whistleblower Yulia Stepanova, who competed at last week’s European championships.

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Serbia and Croatia are bound for Brazil with victories. France and Canada will meet Sunday for the only other remaining basketball berth.


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