Justin Gatlin flew out to a fast start and held off Tyson Gay to win the 100 meters at the US Olympic trials in Eugene last night.

Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, finished in a personal-best 9.80seconds, beating Gay by 0.06 seconds.

Ryan Bailey was a surprise third-place finisher as he edged 2009 US champion Mike Rodgers, veteran Doc Patton and Walter Dix, the Olympic bronze medalist in Beijing.

Dix pulled up in the semi-finals with a left hamstring injury and wasn't the same in the final.

Meanwhile, Jamaican-born Sanya Richards-Ross ran the fastest 400 in the world to make it to her third consecutive Olympics. Richards-Ross won in 49.28 seconds.

Richards-Ross overtook Francena McCorory, who started strongly but had to hold on for the third and final spot and her first Olympic berth. DeeDee Trotter was second, also qualifying for her third Olympics.

Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merritt won the men's 400 in 44.12 seconds, best in the world this season, for a chance to defend his title in London.

Tony McQuay was second in 44.49, and Bryshon Nellum of Southern California was third in 44.80 to earn the other two spots on the Olympic team.

Jeremy Wariner , the 2004 Olympic gold medalist before winning the silver in Beijing, finished sixth in 45.24, missing out on his chance to make a third Olympic team.

The third-place tie in the women's 100-metre final at the US Olympics Trial will be broken by a run-off or a coin flip.

US track and field officials made the announcement last night.

After a review of Saturday's final, it was determined that Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh finished in a dead heat for the third and final qualifying spot on the women's 100-metre Olympic team.

That determination was made after review of photographic evidence, reversing the initial result that found Tarmoh finished third.

To break the tie, Felix and Tarmoh will be given a choice between a coin flip or run-off. Should both competitors choose the same option, that option will be used to determine the third spot on the Olympic team. Should one competitor choose run-off but the other a coin flip, a run-off will be held.

However, if both competitors refuse to make a choice, the spot then will be determined by coin flip. If one competitor chooses either option but the other competitor refuses to make a choice, the preference of the first competitor will determine the tiebreak method.

Alternatively, either competitor can choose to cede the spot and assume a spot as an alternate.

USA Track and Field spokesperson Jill Geer said Tarmoh and Felix had just been informed of the procedure and had not yet decided upon a tiebreak format.

Carmelita Jeter won the race in 10.92 seconds, while Tianna Madison was second in 10.96.