KINGSTON — US sprinter Tyson Gay laid down an impressive early-season marker Saturday, winning the 100m at the Jamaica Invitational athletics meeting in 9.86 sec.



Gay, winner of the 100m, 200m and 4x10m world titles in 2007, recovered from a poor start to roar past Jamaican Nesta Carter, who finished second 17-hundredths of a second back. American Darvis Patton was third, 21-hundredths of a second behind the winner.



Gay became the first sprinter to run under 10 seconds in the 100m this season.



Gay, 30, is the second-fastest performer of all time in the 100m behind Jamaican world record-holder Usain Bolt, who was slated to run the 200m at Kingston but pulled out with a hamstring strain.



In the women's 100m, Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown — the 2012 Olympic bronze medallist — won in 11.01sec. American Allyson Felix, Olympic champion in the 200m in London last year, settled for fifth place (11.13).

Jamaican Nickel Ashmeade won the men's 200m in a season-leading 20.00sec, beating compatriot and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Warren Weir (20.14) and American Wallace Spearmon (20.32).



Jamaica's Stephanie McPherson won the women's 400m, lowering the world-leading mark for the third time this season with a time of 50.43sec. Britain's Christine Ohuruogu was second in 50.58.



Americans Dawn Harper in the 100m hurdles and Antwon Hicks in the 110m hurdles notched season-leading times. Harper clocked 12.62sec to beat compatriot Queen Harrison, while Hicks triumphed in 13.25sec.



Rodgers wins 100m



American Mike Rodgers won the men's 100m comfortably with Japanese teenage sensation Yoshihide Kiryu finishing third in his international debut at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo Sunday.



Rodgers clocked 10.19 seconds to beat Derrick Atkins of Bahamas into second in 10.24.



High-school student Kiryu, who is only 17 years old, equaled the world junior record of 10.01 a week ago raising expectations that he could become the first Japanese athlete ever to break the 10-second barrier in the 100m. But it was not his day and he clocked a disappointing 10.40. — Agencies