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 last night.
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.
"I'm ecstatic," said Devers, who 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.
"I just went out and let it go," said Crawford, who 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, faces a hearing today 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 last night 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 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.