Wariner, Gatlin book Helsinki trips

Olympic champions Jeremy Wariner and Justin Gatlin shook off a stumble and a smack in the face on Saturday to win the men's 400 and 100 metres and make the US team for the August Helsinki world championships.

Wariner ran the year's fastest 400 metres, 44.20 seconds, after stumbling badly at the start, to lead a US team that is aiming for a world championship sweep.

Gatlin, who a day earlier thought he was out of the race with a false start, won the 100 metres in 10.08 seconds after taking a blow to the face from Maurice Greene, who crashed out 70 metres into the race with a hamstring injury.

Training partner and Olympic 200 metres gold medallist Shawn Crawford took second in 10.17 seconds and Leonard Scott placed third in 10.18 seconds in the race, which was run into a headwind of 2.3 metres per second.

Greene flailed as he went down, hitting Gatlin in the face and breaking his concentration, Gatlin said.

"I was just going to make my move and start to accelerate and I felt my hamstring pop," said Greene.

Gatlin reinstated

Gatlin said he hesitated after being hit by Greene.

"Once he wasn't there, I felt I was behind a little bit, so I had to make a quick surge to the finish line," said Gatlin who was reinstated after an official review showed there was motion in the lane next to Gatlin in the Friday race, perhaps causing him to move, USA Track & Field spokeswoman Jill Geer said.

Gatlin said he had slept only three hours on Friday night after hearing he had been reinstated, as family and friends called throughout the night to find out the verdict.

"I was very confused, speechless," Gatlin said. "But I wasn't upset."

Wariner said he did not panic after stumbling out of the blocks and standing straight up.

"I worked the turn real well and set myself up for a good kick," said Wariner, who pulled away over the last 125 metres.

Gatlin and Crawford also cruised through the preliminaries of the 200 metres with Gatlin running 20.53 seconds and Crawford 20.77.

Darold Williamson finished behind training partner Wariner in 44.62 seconds in the men's 400 metres with Andrew Rock taking third in 44.70 seconds.

World junior champion LaShawn Merritt ran 44.73 seconds for fourth but did not make the US team in the event. Only the top three finishers comprise the American squad. Merritt, however, should be on a very fast 4x400 metres relay.

The US women were equally impressive. Richards won the women's 400 metres in the year's fastest time, 49.28 seconds, the third fastest ever by a US woman.

Three American women dipped under 50 seconds for the first time in the same race. Dee Dee Trotter claimed second in 49.88 seconds and Monique Henderson was third in 49.96 seconds.

Lisa Barber won the 100m after a three-year absence from the event. Barber, who trains with Gatlin and Crawford and is coached by Trevor Graham, Marion Jones's former coach, clocked 11.10 seconds.

Olympian Muna Lee was second in 11.28 seconds with Olympic silver medallist Lauryn Williams barely making the US team in 11.29s.

Former Olympic champion Stacy Dragila, who has been injured much of the season, won the women's pole vault in 4.45 metres. It was her seventh consecutive US outdoor title.