American track star Tyson Gay, shown in this file photo, ran the 200 metre event in an impressive 19.58 seconds in New York City on Saturday. (Olivier Morin/Getty Images)Tyson Gay is back.
The reigning world champion ran the third-fastest time ever recorded in the 200 metres to win at the Reebok Grand Prix on Saturday with a time of 19.58 seconds. The only faster times are Usain Bolt's world record last year of 19.30 and Michael Johnson's 19.32 in 1996.
It was in the 200 at last year's U.S. Olympic trials that Gay hurt his hamstring. He didn't win a medal at the Beijing Games after coming in as the world champion in the 100 and 200.
Gay's previous personal best was 19.62 seconds in 2007. He blew away a strong field on Saturday, beating second-place finisher Wallace Spearmon by 0.4 seconds.
American Mike Rodgers was the surprise winner in the men's 100. Former world record holder Asafa Powell was seventh.
Rodgers considered quitting track two years ago because of a lack of sponsorship. He won a U.S. indoor title in the 60 meters in 2008, but this is by far his biggest outdoor victory. Rodgers was an NAIA national champion at Oklahoma Baptist.
Carmelita Jeter of the United States beat a tough field in the women's 100 as she tries to bounce back from a rough 2008. Jeter won bronze at the 2007 world championships but didn't come close to qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team last year.
American Muna Lee, who finished in the top five in the 100 and 200 in Beijing, was second. Olympic 200 champ Veronica Campbell-Brown was third.
