First the 100. Now the 200. And, if his legs hold up, he can join Carl Lewis and Maurice Greene and win three gold medals at one world championships meet.Gay caught up with Jamaica’s Usain Bolt halfway through the 200m late Thursday and let his legs power through the rest of the way to win in a championship record of 19.76 seconds.Bolt was .15 seconds behind and Gay’s US teammate Wallace Spearmon took bronze in 20.05. A third American, Rodney Martin finished fourth in 20.06.This time there was no over-the-top breastbeating and shouting that followed his victory over world record holder Asafa Powell in the 100. It was only evident after he crossed the line what eight races in six days had taken out of him. He crouched down in contemplation and stuck one finger in the air. “Oh, it feels so great but I am still tired,” he said. ” And he still has Saturday’s 400m relays to come. He could get a third gold if the US team can keep the Jamaicans at bay. Only two men have achieved it at the world championships. Lewis won three in 1983 and 1987 and Greene in 1999. Gay’s second title gave the United States their sixth gold and 13th medal overall. Thursday’s other golds were won by Panama’s Irving Saladino in the long jump, Germany’s Betty Heidler in the women’s hammer throw and Jana Rawlinson of Australia in the 400 hurdles.However good Gay was, the most enthralling moment at the Nagai stadium came in the long jump. Against the odds, Los Angeles-born Italian Andrew Howe jumped a national record 8.47 meters on his last attempt to overtake Saladino. Taking off his shirt, he started hot-dogging as if he had won. Saladino, however, knew better. With the last jump of the competition he surpassed the Italian by 10 centimeters to give his Panama its first medal at a world championship.Rawlinson proved that titles and records mean little — and that motherhood can strengthen a runner, not break her. Facing Russian defending champion and 400m hurdles world record holder Yuliya Pechonkina, the Australian took over the race midway through and held on over a tense finishing stretch to reclaim the title she first took in 2003.Just over eight months after giving birth to Cornelis, the 24-year-old came back as strong as ever. “The last 18 months have been truly incredible. Getting married, having a baby and then coming and winning a world title,” she said.Rawlinson finished in 53.31 seconds. Pechenkina was next in 53.50 and Anna Jesien of Poland was third in 53.92.China won their first medal of the championships when Zhang Wenxiu took bronze in the hammer throw behind Heidler and Cuba’s Yipsi Moreno.Heidler threw 74.76 on her second attempt, 2 centimeters better than Moreno, who was seeking her third title. Instead, she won her second silver in a row. Zhang threw 74.39. Olympic champion Liu Xiang qualified for the 110 hurdles final. David Payne had the top time of 13.19, with fellow-American Terrence Trammell having the overall third quickest time. Defending champion Ladji Doucoure of France was eliminated. Bernard Lagat came back to the track one day after winning the 1,500 and still qualified for Sunday’s final of the 5,000. And even if long distance great Kenenisa Bekele is not going for the double this year after winning the 10,000, Lagat will still be facing a Bekele.His brother Tariku won Lagat’s 5,000 heat with Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge taking the other one. In the 800, defending champion Rachid Ramzi of Bahrain finished second to South Africa’s Mbulaeni Mulaudzi in his opening heat but still went through as runner-up. Ramzi was the double middle distance champion from Helsinki two years ago, but lost to Bernard Lagat in the 1,500 final late on Wednesday.
