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The United States and Jamaica both had their Olympic track and field trials Saturday, meaning the three top contenders to win the 100 meters in Beijing were in action. American Tyson Gay put on the day's best showing.

Gay set a new American record by running the 100 in 9.77 seconds, an especially amazing time considering that it was just a quarterfinal heat, and he slowed down over his last few steps. If he had gone full speed through the finish line, he might have broken the world record of 9.72 seconds.

That world record is owned by Jamaica's Usain Bolt, who won his country's Olympic trial today with a time of 9.85 seconds. Although that's blazing speed, it's actually somewhat disappointing compared to the way Bolt has been running this year. And Bolt's countryman, Asafa Powell, turned in a very disappointing (by his standards) time of 9.97 in finishing second to Bolt.

Bolt and Powell will represent Jamaica in Beijing, while Gay still has to run in Sunday's semifinal and final before he even qualifies for the Olympics. But even though Bolt and Powell have both recorded faster times than Gay's 9.77, Gay looked today like the favorite to bring home the gold in two months.