(AP)
Updated: 2007-08-31 09:25

OSAKA, Japan - Tired and sore, Tyson Gay didn't have energy left to celebrate completing one of the most impressive sprint doubles in the history of the world track and field championships.

First the 100. Now the 200. And, if Tyson Gay's legs hold up, he can join Carl Lewis and Maurice Greene with three wins at the championships.

USA's Tyson Gay celebrates with his country's flag after winning in the men's 200m final at the World Athletics Championships Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007 in Osaka, Japan. [AP]

"This was the hardest race of my life," he said. "I couldn't think or nothing. I really couldn't put my arms up to celebrate. I couldn't even really jog on my victory lap."

The latest dominant American sprinter pulled away from Jamaican Usain Bolt down the straightaway to win the 200 meters Thursday in 19.76 seconds, breaking the meet record of 19.79 set 12 years ago by American Michael Johnson in Goteborg, Sweden.

"Tyson is the man to beat right now hands down. He just proved it," bronze medalist Wallace Spearmon said.

Gay's victory came in his eighth race, counting preliminaries, in six days at Nagai Stadium. He won the 100m Saturday in 9.85. Both wins were into headwinds.

Bolt had a slight lead at the end of the curve, a development that shocked Gay.

"To see him winning, I'm not used to that," said Gay, adding he usually loses when he isn't ahead by then.

He needed just about two steps down the straightaway to take the lead, then sprinted away. Bolt was second in 19.91.

"He just flat out beat me," Bolt said. "I think I did pretty well, but he's the better man on this day."

Spearmon, who had a false start then stumbled out of the blocks at the next gun, went 20.05, edging U.S. teammate Rodney Martin, who had a personal-best 20.06. Runner-up to Justin Gatlin in 2003, Spearmon expected better.

"I got a medal," Spearmon said. "It's supposed to be a pat on the back, but right now it's like a spit in the face."

Gay's sweep of the 100 and 200 events duplicated Gatlin's achievement at the 2003 world championships in Helsinki. Gatlin is absent at these worlds, because he's appealing a possible eight-year ban after testing positive for testosterone and other steroids in April 2006.

The only other sprinter to complete the 100-200 sweep at the worlds was fellow American Maurice Greene in Seville, Spain, in 1999.

Despite a sore left hamstring, Gay has a shot at one more gold medal in the 400-meter relay Saturday. Only two other U.S. athletes - Carl Lewis (1983, 1987) and Greene (1999) - have won three golds at a world championships.

Thursday's success helped Gay erase a bad memory from Helsinki, where he faded to fourth in the 200.

The former Arkansas sprinter is making strides off the track, too, overcoming his natural shyness to deal with the attention that's bound to grow as the 2008 Beijing Olympics approach.

"I think I'll be prepared," he said. "I'm learning to handle more media. This is the first year I've received this much attention. I think next year I'm going to work even harder. I worked hard this year, but I know I can work harder."

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