Tyson Gay done with 100 meters

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Former Razorback April Steiner Bennett advance to the finals in the pole vault at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China on Saturday. NBC and its affiliates will broadcast portions of today’s track and field events throughout the day Saturday.

Steiner Bennett cleared 14-9 to advance to Monday’s finals. She finished tied for third in her flight and tied for fourth overall in the prelims.

"I struggled a little bit in the beginning," Steiner Bennett said. "I don’t know what happened. But each bar got better and better and I got through (to the final)."

After sailing through the prelims and the quarterfinals, disaster struck Tyson Gay when he finished fifth in his semifinal heat and did not advance to the finals. He clocked a 10.05. He still has the potential to be selected as a member of the 4×100-meter relay team that will run later this week.

"Toward the finish line I couldn’t tell if I made it to the finals or not," Gay said. "I looked up there and realized I didn’t. It was kind of devastating. I may have needed more races, but I don’t really have any excuses. I just didn’t make it. My hamstring feels good, it’s not bothering me. I wasn’t too overwhelmed with it being the Olympics. It just was one of those things that happened."

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt (9.69) went on to win the 100-meter gold medal. LSU’s Richard Thompson, running for Trinidad, won the silver medal with a time of 9.89. Former Florida State NCAA Champion and Team USA member Walter Dix won bronze (9.91).

For complete results from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, visit www.iaaf.org. For up-to-date information on the Razorbacks in Beijing, visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.