Disgraced US sprinter makes winning return to 100m after four-year doping ban
Disgraced US sprinter makes winning return to 100m after four-year doping banDisgraced 2004 Olympic 100 metres champion Justin Gatlin won his first two races after returning from a four-year doping suspension here yesterday.
The 28-year-old American, who tested positive for testosterone three months after equalling the world record in 2006, timed 10.34 seconds, the fastest time of the two heats, into a headwind of 1.7 metres per second.
Gatlin, who achieved the 100-200m sprint double at the 2005 world championships, improved on that time in the final with a mark of 10.24 seconds ufffd short of his aim of going under 10sec ufffd beating compatriot J-Mee Samuels, whose best time this season is 10.19sec.
Gatlin, who has lost 20 pounds over the past year as he battles to regain his place among the leading sprinters, has targeted a place in the 2012 Olympics as his main objective.
Gatlin, who also failed a drugs test in 2001 for amphetmaines, is set to race again in Tallinn on Sunday.
