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SACRAMENTO, July 19: Hurdler Gail Devers made her fifth Olympic team at the age of 37 and Shawn Crawford won a high-profile 200 metres on the concluding day of the US Olympic Trials on Sunday.
Devers's lean at the finish line enabled her to eke out a 100 metres hurdles victory by two-thousandths of a second. She won in 12.547 seconds to Joanna Hayes's 12.549. Devers joined Carl Lewis and Willye White as the only American athletics performers to make five Olympic teams.
Crawford, the third-place finisher in the men's 100 metres, claimed gold in the 200 in 19.99 seconds. He finished two-hundredths of a second faster than training partner Justin Gatlin, the 100 metres runner-up. Bernard Williams took third in 20.30 seconds.
Crawford ran the season's fastest 200 metres, 19.88 seconds, in qualifying. Teenager Allyson Felix took first in the women's 200 metres in 22.28 seconds, the second fastest time in the world this year. Collegian Muna Lee placed second in 22.36 seconds with favourite Torri Edwards slipping to third in 22.39.
Edwards, the women's 100 metres runner-up, was set to face a hearing on Monday on a positive test for a stimulant that could knock her out of next month's Olympic Games in Athens in both the 100 and 200 metres.
If Edwards is banned, Devers, the fourth-place finisher in the 100 metres, would move up to the US team in the event. Devers was undecided on Sunday whether to accept the spot if it becomes available.
If Edwards is banned and Devers declines, triple Olympic champion Marion Jones would be the third US representative in the 100 metres. She finished fifth in the 100 metres last weekend, but later won the trials' long jump.
Olympic champion Stacy Dragila flirted with the world record in the women's pole vault, missing three times at 4.89 metres. She won the competition at 4.75. World 110 metres hurdles champion Allen Johnson hit an early hurdle and recovered just in time to grab the final spot on the US team. Johnson clocked 13.25 seconds for third place.
Olympic silver medallist Terrence Trammell won the event in a lifetime-best 13.09 seconds. Duane Ross finished just ahead of Johnson in 13.21 seconds. Rising US star Alan Webb broke away from a slow-paced opening 400 metres to win the men's 1,500 metres in three minutes, 36.13 seconds. Jamie Nieto dominated the men's high jump, clearing 2.33 metres for the victory.
LEADING RESULTS:
WOMEN'S:
20km walk: 1. Teresa Vaill one hour 35 minutes 57.00 seconds; 2. Joanne Dow 1:38:42.00; 3. Bobbi Chapman 1:39.01.00.
1,500 metres: 1. Carrie Tollefson four minutes 8.32 seconds; 2. Jen Toomey 4:08.43; 3. Amy Rudolph 4:08.57.
100 metres hurdles: 1. Gail Devers 12.55 seconds; 2. Joanna Hayes 12.55; 3. Melissa Morrison 12.61.
Pole vault: 1. Stacy Dragila 4.75 metres; 2. Jillian Schwartz 4.55; 3. Kellie Suttle 4.55.
200 metres: 1. Allyson Felix 22.28 seconds; 2. Muna Lee 22.36; 3. Torri Edwards 22.39.
MEN'S:
Discus: 1. Jarred Rome 65.77 metres; 2. Ian Waltz 64.69; 3. Casey Malone 64.47.
1,500 metres: 1. Alan Webb three minutes 36.13 seconds; 2. Charlie Gruber 3:38.45; 3. Rob Myers 3:38.93.
High jump: 1. Jamie Nieto 2.33 metres; 2. Matt Hemingway 2.30; 3. Tora Harris 2.27.
110 metres hurdles: 1. Terrence Trammell 13.09 seconds; 2. Duane Ross 13.21; 3. Allen Johnson 13.25.
200 metres: 1. Shawn Crawford 19.99 seconds; 2. Justin Gatlin 20.01; 3. Bernard Williams 20.30. -Reuters
