Tyson Gay stays on track for sprint double, Kenya sweeps steeple chase

OSAKA, Japan — Now for the easy part — supposedly.

After winning the 100 meters over archrival Asafa Powell in a thrilling weekend final, Tyson Gay continued his quest for a sprint double at the world championships on Tuesday.

Gay ran with such power in the second-round heat of the 200 meters, he was already turning to see opposition coming off the bend and was leaning back well ahead of the line. He still finished in 20.08 seconds, by far the best time of the evening ahead of Jamaican Isain Bolt. His main rival, teammate Wallace Spearman, also advanced.

Still, he found the going tough after the hyped clash with Powell.

"Just physically and mentally it drained a lot out of me. I am just trying to refocus," he said, adding his left knee bothered him some.

Gay ran the second fastest 200 ever earlier this season, and combined with the confidence boost the 100 title gives him, he is an overwhelming favorite for a second gold.

And if the U.S. team is in shape for the weekend sprint relay, he could end up with a triple gold-medal haul.

Russian Yelena Isinbayeva defended her pole vault title at the world championships, needing only three attempts to secure the gold medal.

Isinbayeva easily cleared 15 feet, 3 inches when she entered the competition, then rejoined at 15-9. She missed at her first attempt but regained first place with her next, perfectly executed vault.

She was attempting a world record. After a change of style, she has not improved the world mark since the 16-5 1/4 leap at the 2005 world championships in Helsinki.

Katerina Badurova of the Czech Republic was second at 15-7.

Olympic champion Tatiana Lebedeva won the world long jump, leading a Russian sweep of the medals.

Behind Lebedeva's jump of 23 feet, 3-4 inches, Ludmila Kolchanova took silver at 22-8 1/2 and Tatyana Kotova added bronze with 22, 7 3/4.

Defending champion Tianna Madison of the United States finished 10th.

Kenya's Janeth Jepkosgei led from start to finish, winning the 800 meters in 1 minute, 56.04 seconds, with Morocco's Hasna Benhassi getting silver in 1:56.99 and Spain's Mayte Martinez third in 1:57.62.