Bernard Lagat (center) wins the 1,500-meter final ahead of Allen Webb (left), Lopez Lomong (second left) and Leonel Manzano (right) at the US Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, on Sunday.
World 200 meters champion Tyson Gay said on Sunday he expected to be fully recovered from a leg injury in time for next month's Olympics.
"I'll be 100 percent for the 100 and 400 (meters) relay," Gay told NBC television at the US Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon.
Gay, the trials' 100 meters winner, was dumped out of the 200 meters quarterfinals on Saturday. Under strict USA Track and Field qualifying procedures, only the three finalists in an event make the American team.
Gay said he felt a twinge in his left hamstring before the race, but ran even though coach Jon Drummond suggested he reconsider if there was a problem.
"I thought it would go away once I warmed up," the world 100 and 200 meters champion said. "By the time I came off the blocks, 20, 25 meters into the race, my hamstring pulled up."
Gay's injury originally was called a severe cramp, but an MRI scan determined he suffered a mild strain in his left leg, his management company said in a statement.
"He is expected to engage in 'active rest' for up to 12-14 days, with light physical activity increasing through that period, and then resume training," the statement said.
Gay's only confirmed pre-Olympic competition, the 100 meters meeting with former world record holder Asafa Powell in London, "is still on the schedule," the statement added.
US men's Olympic coach Bubba Thornton backed US cut-throat system.
"I believe in the system," Thornton said of the strict qualifying process.
"At the end of the day there will not be a person in this gathering that is going to say they politicked their way on (to the team)," Thornton added.
"They made the team. I think that is the beauty of what happens when this special time comes around."
Women's coach Jeanette Bolden also said she supported the system. "It is unfortunate that there may be some situations that come up but the head-to-head competition is what is best for right now," said the 1984 Olympic Games participant.
While some countries and other US sports make exceptions for injuries by elite athletes, the US athletics governing body does not, and is unlikely to in the future, USATF president Bill Roe said.
"What you'd end up having is athletes perhaps in other events feigning injuries to gain access," Roe said. "So you can't really take injury into account."
"I don't think that's one of the criteria we'd use in any case. We'd use an athlete's rank in the world or world record holder status, something of that nature."
On Sunday, Allyson Felix was among those who had an easy day, cruising to a victory in the 200 to grab a spot that she hadn't secured because of her less-than-satisfying finish in the 100 the first weekend.
Also, Wallace Spearmon secured the final spot in the men's 200, and Jenn Stuczynski pole vaulted at 4.92 meters after missing her first two jumps to make it to the squad.
In the 1,500, the qualifiers were Bernard Lagat (Kenya), Lopez Lomong (Sudan) and Leo Manzano (Mexico) - three men born in different lands who made it to America and will now wear the US uniform at the Olympics.
"That means America is a melting pot," Lagat said. "America is where they welcome everybody regardless of their place of birth."
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily July 8, 2008)