Running a much cleaner race, Olympic silver medalist Felix cruises in first round of 200

Felix cruises in her first heat of the 200

EUGENE, Ore. — Allyson Felix had a much better showing in her best event, turning in the top time in the 200-meter prelims Saturday at the U.S. track and field championships.

Felix had a start in the finals of the 100 the night before she labeled “atrocious.”

This time, her burst from the block was less important but still much cleaner. The two-time Olympic silver medalist in the 200 breezed past the field, hardly even challenged.

It was made easier when Carmelita Jeter didn’t line up the day after hurting herself winning the 100.

“Felt good today,” Felix said. “I have to work on the curve. It was a little windy, but it was OK.”

Shawn Crawford had the top time in the prelims of the men’s 200, crossing the line in 20.19 seconds. Crawford finished fourth in Beijing, only to move up to the silver medal when Netherlands Antilles sprinter Churandy Martina and Wallace Spearmon were disqualified for running outside their lanes.

He’s since given the medal back to Martina, lifting a weight off his shoulders.

Jeremy Wariner stepped away from his signature event, the 400, to run in the 200. Wariner, who’s already qualified for the world championships later this summer in the 400, finished second in his heat in 20.77 seconds.

“I finished pretty good, I just have to get out a little better,” said Wariner, who was running his first race in nearly a month. “I’m a little rusty.”

He’s not giving the 400 a moment’s consideration.

“Worried about the 200 this weekend,” he said.

Two-time Olympic bronze medalist Walter Dix pulled out of the 200 field a day after injuring his right hamstring while running in the semifinals of the 100.

Dawn Harper and Lolo Jones advanced to the semifinals of the 100 hurdles, setting up a possible rematch from the Beijing Games. Jones entered that summer night’s race in the Bird’s Nest as the fastest hurdler in the world, and blazed out to a big lead.

Then Jones caught the ninth of 10 hurdles and couldn’t recover as Harper, then a relative unknown, sped past her for the gold.

Jones is trying to forget the memory of Beijing and concentrate on this season.

But she’s been hampered by a torn hamstring, logging a lot of laps in the pool to keep her fitness up as she recovers.

The hamstring appeared much better Saturday, the Olympic trials champion running a smooth, conservative race.

Damu Cherry had the fastest time, finishing in a wind-aided 12.49 seconds. It’s the fastest time in the world this season in any condition.

Lashinda Demus won the gold medal in the women’s 400 hurdles, beating Sheena Tosta and Tiffany Williams.

Olympic gold medalist Angelo Taylor easily advanced in the 400 hurdles, along with Bershawn Jackson.

Dwight Phillips drew the biggest ovation of the night from the Hayward Field crowd when he leapt 28 feet, 1½ inches in the long jump on his second attempt.

Earlier this month at the Prefontaine Classic, Phillips jumped 28 feet, 8¼ inches, marking the longest jump in the world since 1991.

It was a nice return to form for the 2004 Olympic gold medalist who endured an injury-riddled 2008 and missed the trip to Beijing.

In later events, LaShawn Merritt and Sanya Richards were the overwhelming favorites to win gold in the 400. Richards faded in the Olympic finals in Beijing, but was able to hang on for the bronze.

Merritt, the reigning Olympic gold medalist, doesn’t have Wariner, his top rival, in the race to push him.