As he stood by his blocks prior to the start of the Mens 200m final at the US Olympic Track & Field Trials, Justin Gatlin found himself in unfamiliar territory. It would be only his third 200m race of 2016; his third 200m race in 3 days. Rounds 1 and 2 were good but not spectacular, causing him to land in the unfavorable Lane 8.
At 34, Gatlin is a veteran and one of the oldest in his field. He had already made the US Team in the 100m in dominating fashion. As the gun sounded, Gatlin got out of the blocks well and led from start to finish, holding off a long striding LaShawn Merritt to win in 19.75s.
Age appears to be a non-factor for the seasoned sprinter as he heads to Rio with the world’s fastest time in both the 100m and 200m races.