EUGENE, Ore. -- Tyson Gay was going so fast through the finish line that he nearly ran out of track to apply the brakes, sidestepping cameramen to avoid a nasty collision.
That kind of speed was necessary to catch the kid in the lane next to him.
Gay, a former Arkansas Razorback, fell behind early but made up ground in a hurry on Baylor standout Trayvon Bromell to win the 100 meters Friday night at the U.S. Outdoor Championships.
"Man, that kid is tough," Gay said of the 19-year-old Bromell. "He got out good and I had one of those 10-years-of-experience, dig-down moments."
Gay, 32, finished in 9.87 seconds to secure a spot at the world championships in Beijing this summer. Michael Rodgers was third to make the world team along with Justin Gatlin, who didn't compete because he had an automatic bye courtesy of his Diamond League title.
Gay hasn't competed at worlds since 2009. He missed the 2011 competition with a hip injury and qualified in 2013, but he withdrew after failing a drug test that resulted in a one-year suspension.
He returned last summer and has been making changes ever since, switching coaches and coasts as he moved from Florida to California. He wears his hair longer and has a new sponsor in Nike.
The one thing he can't change? His perception after his doping suspension.
"I've got a second chance to make up for the mistake I made," Gay said. "I'm here to do that."
Gay received plenty of gifts on his victory lap. Someone gave him a teddy bear. Another fan handed him a book. Even more wished him well.
"That meant a lot to me," Gay said.
Not as much as beating Bromell, who sensed Gay rapidly approaching but couldn't hold him off.
"I knew what kind of competitors I had in the race," said Bromell, who is putting off a decision whether he will turn pro or return to Baylor for his junior season. "I came out with second, so I was happy."
Bromell has quite a medical history. He broke one of his knees goofing around with a friend in eighth grade and broke the other one in ninth grade playing basketball. Then, in 10th grade, he fractured his hip while running the 100.
"Didn't have breakout season until my senior year," he said.
He keeps getting better and better. Baylor Coach Todd Harbour considers him in the same class at this age as past Baylor greats such as Jeremy Wariner and Michael Johnson.
"Trayvon's perspective is amazing -- how he handles success, how he handles defeat, how he handles setbacks," Harbour said. "He keeps it all level."
Stephanie Brown of Arkansas finished fifth in her 1,500 heat with a time of 4 minutes, 20.04 seconds, and Alex Gochenour of Arkansas ran 13.43 in the 100 hurdles, good for seventh in her heat.
Michael Tinsley of Little Rock did not start the semifinals in the men's 400 dash.
In the junior championships, Sam Kempia of Arkansas finished 16th with a throw of 59 feet, 4 3/4 inches while Jeff Rogers of Arkansas committed a foul and did not have a legal toss.
Brandon Workman of Arkansas finished fourth in the long jump with a leap of 24-6 1/4 inches.
Kelsey Herman of Arkansas finished 10th in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.09 seconds, and Arnica Zitting of Arkansas State finished 11th in the 5,000 in 17:59.49.
Sports on 06/27/2015