Rodgers takes first national title in 100 in field without Tyson Gay

With Gay gone, 100 is Mr. Rodgers’ neighborhood

EUGENE, Ore. — His track career going nowhere, Mike Rodgers was trying to make a buck by selling shoes out of the back of his car.

Now, he’s looking like the best American sprinter not named Tyson Gay.

Rodgers sizzled on the track Friday night in the finals of the 100 meters at the U.S. championships, finishing in a winning time of 9.91 seconds. He beat veteran Darvis Patton by .01 seconds and another new face, Monzavous Edwards, who goes by Rae, took third.

The trio earned trips to the world championships later this summer in Berlin, along with Gay, who already had his spot secured.

This much is true about Rodgers: He’s got the confidence of a sprinter.

“When I get to Berlin, I think I can medal,” Rodgers said. “I just have to train hard and stay humble.”

On the women’s side, Carmelita Jeter overcame a cramp late in the race to outlean Muna Lee at the finish, beating her by one-thousandth of a second. Jeter finished in 10.776 seconds. Lauryn Williams took third to round out the world squad.

The 24-year-old Rodgers didn’t get off to his usual fast start, but still opened up a big lead on Patton and then held on. Now he has an outdoor crown to go with his 2008 indoor title and four other wins this season.

Rodgers almost abandoned track a few years ago when he was making more money selling Nike Air Jordans out of the trunk of his Malibu than he was at racing.

“I’d buy like 20 pairs of shoes, and double my money,” said Rodgers, who purchased the shoes at a discounted rate because of his job at a sporting goods store.

The lure of running was too hard to resist and brought him back.

Now, he’s tearing up the track.

Gay knew Rodgers was going to be a competitor to keep his eye on. Gay could see it in his progression.

“Similar to what I had when I had my breakout year,” Gay said earlier in the week. “He was kind of running 10 (seconds) for the past couple of years and had a breakout year this year.”

The field for the finals was watered down after Olympic bronze medalist Walter Dix pulled up with a right hamstring injury in the semis. He joined Gay on the sideline for the marquee race.

No worries. Rodgers will have plenty of company at worlds, including Gay and world record holder Usain Bolt.

“Those are the big dogs. I’m the little dog,” Rodgers said.

Sticking to his vow of running just one race, Gay didn’t even line up Friday. Still, he turned heads running a wind-aided time of 9.75 in the prelims Thursday.

Jeter cramped up in the last 30 meters of the finals, but was determined to get to the finish line and hold off the hard-charging Lee.

Might it affect her in the 200?

“I’ll be fine. It was just a cramp,” Jeter said. “It’s cool.”

Lee, meanwhile, has the distinction of being the first woman to break 10.8 seconds and not win the national championship.

“I was pretty close,” said Lee, who won last year’s Olympic trials. “I just went after it. I was telling myself that no one else is better than me in that final.”

Trey Hardee ran away with the decathlon, taking a leisurely lap around the Hayward Field track in the 1,500 to seal his title. His score of 8,261 points beat Ashton Eaton by 186. Jake Arnold was third.

Missing from the field was Bryan Clay, the Olympic gold medalist who pulled out of the competition Thursday with an injured left hamstring. It’s a decision that will cost him a spot at the world championships.

Kara Goucher (5,000), Matt Tegenkamp (5,000) and Casey Malone (discus) also won Friday. Goucher will skip the 5,000 in Berlin to focus on the marathon.

LaShawn Merritt looked strong in the semis, the Olympic champion winning his heat of the 400 by 0.52 seconds.

Like Merritt, Sanya Richards expended little effort in her semifinal heat of the 400, easing up well before the finish line. She has the two fastest times in the world this season, including a 49.57-second performance in Berlin two weeks ago.

“I’m really confident. Really positive,” said Richards, who came out wearing a hot pink shirt and matching shoes.