U.S. Outdoors, Day 1: Clay Withdraws From Decathlon; Gay Burns Up Track

Running his first healthy 100-meter race in about a year, Tyson Gay led all competitors in the 100 prelims at the U.S. Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. Thursday in a blazing, although wind-aided, time of 9.75 seconds. As the defending World Outdoor champion in the 100 and 200, Gay has a bye into the August World Championships in Berlin. Other top semifinal qualifiers included Darvis Patton and Michael Rodgers (both 9.92) and Travis Padgett (9.93). Carmelita Jeter was the top women's 100-meter qualifier in a wind-aided 10.88, followed by Alexandria Anderson (10.92) and Marshevet Hooker (10.94).

Bryan Clay, the 2008 Olympic decathlon gold medalist, withdrew from the Championships Thursday morning due to injury. This means that Clay cannot compete in the World Championships this. Clay suffered a slight hamstring injury in training on Tuesday. Unfortunately, two days of treatments weren't sufficient to heal the injury.

In a way, Clay is suffering again for the quad injury that knocked him out of the 2007 World Championships. Had he won that event he would have a bye into this year's World Outdoors. There's no guarantee Clay would've won in 2007, but he was the defending champion, and the favorite.

Through five events in Thursday's decathlon competition, Trey Hardee led with 4337 points, followed closely by Ashton Eaton (4333). Battling for third are Desi Burt (4046), Joe Detmer (4044), Jake Arnold (4036) and Chris Randolph (4032). Hardee won the 100 meters (10.43), Eaton the long jump (7.6/24-11), Paul Terek the shot put (14.75/48-4), Burt the high jump (2.17/7-1½, .01 short of the meet record) and Detmer the 400 (47.96).

In finals action Thursday, Brandon Roulhac won the men's triple jump (16.67 meters, 54 feet, 8¼ inches), followed by Walter Davis (16.37/53-8½) and Nkosinza Balumba (16.36/53-8¼).

Chris Hill won the men's javelin with a second-round throw measuring 83.87 meters (275 feet, 2 inches). Mike Hazle placed second (82.06/269-3) and Sean Furrey third (76.16/249-10).

Chaunte Howard won the women's high jump, with veteran Amy Acuff taking second and qualifying for her eighth World Outdoor championships. Sharon Day took third. All three cleared 1.95/6-4¾, but Howard had no misses through that distance, while Acuff had three and Day four.

Beijing gold medalist Stephanie Brown Trafton won her first U.S. discus title with a third-round 64.25/210-9. Aretha Thurmond was second (62.51/205-1) and Becky Breisch third (62.08/203-8).

Amy Begley out-dueled Shalane Flanagan on the final lap to win the women's 10,000 (31:22.69). Flanagan held second (31:23.43) and Katie McGregor took third (32:08.04). University of Oregon senior Galen Rupp, running on his school's home track, won the men's 10,000 (27:52.53), followed by Dathan Ritzenhein (27:58.59) and Tim Nelson (28:01.34).

In preliminary action, Sanya Richards had the fastest time in the women's 400 (51.38), followed by Debbie Dunn (51.56) and Natasha Hastings (52.16). LaShawn Merritt led the men (45.23), followed by Lionel Larry (45.82) and Jamaal Torrence (45.94). Jeremy Wariner has a bye into the World Championships.

Andrew Wheating dropped out of the men's 1500 prelims due to an injury. Leonel Manzano led all qualifers (3:39.91), along with Stephen Pifer (3:40.83) and Jeff See (3:40.95). Beijing Olympian Lopez Lomong squeaked into Sunday's final as the 11th of 12 qualifiers (3:44.62). Christin Wurth led the women with an impressive 4:11.84. Sarah Bowman had the second-best time (4:12.24) and Anna Willard the third (4:13.31).

Daniel Huling led men's steeplechase qualifiers (8:34.13), followed by Brian Olinger (8:34.85) and Ben Bruce (3:34.90). The final is scheduled for Saturday.

In the 800-meter preliminaries, Alysia Johnson and Hazel Clark led the women's field, both clocking in at 2:04.39, followed by Latavia Thomas (2:04.58). Christian Smith paced men's qualifiers at 1:47.84, while Khadevis Robinson and Nick Symmonds both finished in 1:48.07. Bernard Lagat, who has a bye into the World Championship 1500 and 5000 events, tuned up by running the 800 in 1:48.59. Like Gay, Lagat is neither required, nor expected, to race again this week.

Tiffany Williams led the women's 400-meter hurdle qualfiers (55.18), followed by Lashinda Demus (55.48) and Nicole Leach (56.28).