 Gatlin took indoor gold in Birmingham |
World indoor 60m champion Justin Gatlin has pulled out of the 200m at the US Athletics Championships in Palo Alto. Gatlin's withdrawal means he will not be able to compete in the individual events at the World Championships in Paris in August.
His agent, Charlie Wells, said Gatlin was still nursing a hamstring injury he suffered at the Penn Relays on 24 April.
Gatlin failed to qualify for the world championships in the 100m, finishing fourth in his first round heat on Thursday.
The 21-year-old is considered one of the most exciting young American sprinters to emerge in recent years.
He took the world indoor gold in Birmingham by clocking 6.46sec in the 60m.
Meanwhile, Olympic 100m champion Maurice Greene eased through his 200m heat in 21.10sec to finish second.
"I only know one thing," he said afterwards. "I'm going to win."
Tyree Washington ran the fastest 400m in two years, clocking 44.33sec, while 17-year-old sensation Allyson Felix ran 23.19sec in a 200m heat.
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