It took Tyson Gay just 9.75 seconds to prove that he's healthy, and leave the rest of the track world wondering – and maybe worrying – about what he might do next. With a helping wind at his back, America's best-known sprinter ran his 100m preliminary heat in the seventh-fastest time under any conditions Thursday, then exited stage right, not to be seen again at the US championships. About half-an-hour after he ran, Gay's coaches confirmed he wouldn't be racing again this week. “But I want to,” Gay said. “Because I ran a horrible race.” Already qualified for this summer's world championships in Berlin, Gay used this single race at nationals as a warm up. Because of the wind, the 9.75 won't go down as the new American record, even though this was .02 seconds faster than the mark he set last year on the same track. Record or no, over the past four weeks, Gay has made his point: He's ready to take on world-record holder Usain Bolt. Gay's eye-opening time came despite a bad start and stood as the biggest – or maybe the best – news on the first day of nationals, which lost a star before they even began when Olympic decathlon champion Bryan Clay withdrew with an injury. Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt cruised to a win in 45.23 seconds in his 400 prelim, which was missing Jeremy Wariner, who also has a bye into worlds. Wariner will run in the 200 later this week. Stephanie Brown Trafton added a national title to the Olympic gold medal she won last year in discus. Amy Yoder Begley outkicked Olympic bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan at the end of the women's 10,000 for a mild upset. Gay will leave Eugene with a 9.75-second body of work that included a clumsy move out of the blocks. Moments before the race started, a false start left everyone in the field one flinch away from being disqualified. Gay beat Dixon by .25 seconds and second-place finisher Monzavous Edwards by .23. The 2007 world champion said if it had been up to him, he'd race again this week. But there are coaches and agents and schedules to keep, and it appears his team was satisfied with simply seeing him shake out the cobwebs. The semifinals should still offer some drama, though. Olympic medalists Shawn Crawford and Walter Dix and 60-meter indoor champion Michael Rodgers all moved onto Friday with ease. The women's 100m heats produced a slew of familiar semifinalists, with Allyson Felix, Muna Lee, Lauryn Williams, Carmelita Jeter and Torri Edwards advancing. Bernard Lagat, the reigning 1,500m and 5,000m world champion, also used the meet as a tune-up, posting the 11th fastest time in the 800m heats in his only race of the week.
