Merritt blazes into 200m fi

Eugene, United States: LaShawn Merritt clocked the fastest 200 meters time of the year as Brianna Rollins scored a stunning victory in the 100m hurdles at the US Olympic track and field trials here Friday.Merritt, the 2008 Olympics 400m champion, roared into Saturday’s 200m final with a blistering time of 19.74 seconds, more than two-tenths of a second quicker than his nearest rival, Ameer Webb.It was a devastating display of sprinting from Merritt, who insists he remains undecided about whether to pursue a 400-200 double at next month’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.”I’m not sure yet, I’m just trying to take it a race at time. I don’t like to think too far ahead,” said Merritt when asked about his Olympic plans.”I’m just going to try and win tomorrow.”Merritt will be joined in the final by both Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay.Gatlin finished his semi-final in second place with a time of 20.23sec, trailing teenager Michael Norman in 20.21sec.The drama on a rainswept day at Hayward Field came in the women’s 100m hurdles, where 2013 world champion Rollins scored a superb victory in 12.34sec.Kristi Castlin finished second with Nia Ali third. “I knew I was ready, I just wanted to come out here and do the best race I can, and I managed to execute that,” Rollins said.Keni Harrison, the fastest woman in the world this year in the event, finished in sixth spot and missed out on a place in Rio.Harrison’s finish outside the qualifying spots reflects the ferocious depth of competition in the event amongst US hurdlers, who have monopolized all of this season’s top 10 times’