LaShawn Merritt runs year-best 200m en route to Olympic double

LaShawn Merritt ran the world's fastest 200-metre time of the year with 19.74 seconds to easily win his semifinal heat Friday at the U.S. track and field trials in Eugene, Ore. Merritt has already qualified for the 400 metres.

"Came off the curve with everybody, felt good so I made a move," said Merritt, who's dabbling in the 200 after already earning a spot by winning the 400. "The key was to win the race. That's what I did."

"Just have to stay humble, stay grounded, get some rest and come out tomorrow and do it all over again."

Also in Saturday's final will be Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay.

High-school sprinters Michael Norman and Noah Lyles also won their 200-metre semifinals and will compete in the final.

Merritt could be in line to try to become the first man to win a 200-400 Olympic double since Michael Johnson in 1996. But that's a decision for down the road.

"I'm just trying to take it a race at a time," Merritt said.

Flying under the radar are Ameer Webb and veteran Tyson Gay, who didn't make the team in the 100.

On the women's side, Allyson Felix cruised through her first-round heat at 200 to also keep her hopes alive for the 200-400 double in Rio.

Among those not going are Dawn Harper-Nelson, who won gold in 2008 and silver in 2012, but failed to make it out of the semifinals of 100-metre hurdles. American record-holder Keni Harrison finished seventh in the hurdles final.

The Associated Press