Gay's double hopes ended by cramp

Tyson Gay's hopes of an Olympic sprint double ended in agony on Sunday after the 200 metres world champion crashed out of the US trials when his leg seized up during the quarter-finals.

Gay tumbled to the track about 40 metres into the race with what his agent diagnosed as a severe cramp in his left hamstring.

The injury means Gay will now compete in just the 100 metres and 4x100 relay at next month's Beijing Games.

"Before I went out on the track I felt a little tightness in my hamstring, so I kind of had a bad feeling," Gay said in a statement.

"I felt it, sort of a pull, about 40 meters," the 25-year-old added.

Heading to his hotel immediately to receive treatment, Gay was lucky enough to suffer no further damage, agent Mark Wetmore said.