The participation of the former world 100m and 200m champion provoked huge media interest at the Adidas Grand Prix at the Icahn Stadium, where the 29-year-old American said he felt "pretty good" after a race that preceded, by two hours, the 100m A-final – won by Jamaica's world champion Yohan Blake in 9.90.

"I wanted to get all the jitters out," said Gay (pictured above and below, centre), who last raced at the 2011 United States trials.

Gay said he may run in a small meet in Texas before trials.

The American 100m record holder won three gold medals at the 2007 World Championships.

But since then, has been overtaken by Usain Bolt and beset by injuries.

The hip still bothers him, though he said his coach Jon Drummond hammers him about so many technical details, that distracts him from feeling the discomfort.

"It aches and pinches and grabs," Gay said.

"But I've just got to go out there and run through the pain."


Blake's compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the Olympic champion, won the 100m in a season's best of 10.92, with Americans Tianna Madison and world champion Carmelita Jeter second and third in a personal best 10.97 and 11.05 respectively.

Allyson Felix, the three-time 200m world champ, who is considering adding the 100m at trials, was fourth in 11.07.

Sanya Richards-Ross may have earned herself a second event at the US trials, winning the 200m in a world leading and personal best of 22.09.

The 2009 world champion in the 400m, Richards-Ross was also trying to convince her coach to let her run the 200m.

Kenya's 800m world champion, David Rudisha (pictured below), won by nearly three seconds in 1min:41.74, just 0.73 outside his world record.

Behind him, Britain's Andrew Osagie was third in a personal best of 1:44.61.


Oscar Pistorius failed to post an Olympic qualifying time of 45.30 in the 400m, finishing in 46.14.

The double-amputee from South Africa will probably have two more chances before the end of the month to meet the standard to earn a trip to the London Games.

After struggling recently with a sore hip and slow times, Pistorius saw major progress in his performance on Saturday; on a day the winner, Luguelin Santos of the Dominican Republic, finished in 45.24.

"It's the first time I felt in shape to get back to 45," Pistorius said.

"So now I'm sure I'll be able to do that."

In the high jump, Britain's Robbie Grabarz, who set a personal best of 2.33 metres at last month's Rome Diamond League, raised that to 2.36m, sharing the final lead with home jumper Jesse Williams, who won on countback.

There were season's bests in the 400m from Britain's Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu, who clocked 50.69 for fourth place, and Shana Cox, seventh in 51.54 in a race won by America's Francena McCorory in 50.06.

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