EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - Young Mike Rodgers, who almost quit running two years ago, claimed the top prize in the men`s 100 metres when he held on to win in a wind-assisted 9.91 seconds at the U.S. world championships trials on Friday.
Veteran Darvis Patton finished a close second with little-known Rae Edwards third to join defending world champion Tyson Gay on the American team for August`s world championships in Berlin.
Patton clocked 9.92 and Edwards 10.00 behind an assisting wind of 3.1 metres per second.
Fast times also came in a wind-assisted women`s final.
Carmelita Jeter edged Olympian Muna Lee by one-hundredth of a second for the title, clocking 10.776 seconds to Lee`s 10.777.
Former world champion Lauryn Williams claimed third in 10.96 seconds.
Rodgers called his victory a great accomplishment.
"I`m young, I did it early," said the 24-year-old who as a small-college champion has often been overlooked among America`s sprinters.
He said quitting was on his mind two years ago before encouraging words from a coaching friend led him to give sprinting one more try.
Gay drew a bye to Berlin as the defending world champion in the 100 and 200 metres. He raced once in the U.S. trials -- running a wind-assisted 9.75 seconds in Thursday`s preliminaries.
DIX OUT
The U.S. lost Olympian Walter Dix in the semi-finals when the double Beijing bronze medallist strained his right hamstring and ran a non-qualifying sixth.
Dix, who won bronzes in the 100 and 200 at Beijing, shook his head when asked if he would run the 200 later this week.
That means he will not make the U.S. team since only the top three finishers in the American trials and defending world champions qualify.
Jeter threw a scare in the crowd when she fell to the ground after her victory. Continued...
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