Gatlin outguns opposition to garner golden double

JUSTIN GATLIN became only the second man in World Championship history to complete the 100m/200m sprint double in Helsinki last night when he outgunned the young pretenders to add the 200m title to the 100m crown he won on Sunday.

Gatlin led an unprecedented 1, 2, 3, 4 for the USA, leading all the way to win in 20.04 secs, with American collegiate champion, Wallace Spearmon, second in 20.20 secs, defending champion, John Capel, third in 20.31 secs and Tyson Gay fourth in 20.34 secs.

Stephane Buckland (Mauritius) was fifth in 20.41 secs, ahead of Patrick Johnson, the Aussie of Irish extraction, 20.58 secs, Tobias Unger, the German record holder, 20.81, and Usain Bolt from Jamaica who was in trouble from the start, struggling home in 26.27 secs.