The men's 200m at Rio 2016 is set to be one of the most intriguing races in the athletics competition, after two double-chasing American sprint stars both qualified for the event on Saturday (9 July) at the USA Olympic track-and-field trials.

Justin Gatlin, who last week won the 100m at the trials, edged out 400m winner LaShawn Merritt for first place in the 200m race in Eugene, Oregon. Gatlin ran 19.75 seconds, just ahead of Merritt on 19.79s. Ameer Webb came third and also qualified for Rio.

Rio 2016 will be the third Olympic Games for both Gatlin and Merritt and both will be chasing sprint doubles. Gatlin won gold at Athens 2004 in the 100m and bronze in the 200m. At London 2012, he won bronze in the 100m. Merritt won gold at Beijing 2008 in the 400m.

“Seeing the guys who are going to go to Rio, I think that we are going to represent to the fullest and we’re going to have fun with it. I’m excited to be able to go out there and get ready for the 200m. Just as excited as I am for the 100m as well,” Gatlin said after the race.

Both men are desperate to regain their titles and win 200m gold for the first time. Although Gatlin beat Merritt on Saturday, Merritt still has this year's world-leading time of 19.74s. Merritt also set the world-leading time in the 400m of 43.97s on 3 July, the same day Gatlin ran a world-leading 9.80s in the 100m. 

Gatlin and Merritt will almost certainly have to defeat Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt if either of them is to complete their double. Bolt has won the 200m at the last two Olympic Games and holds the world record time of 19.19s. He had to pull out of Jamaica's Olympic trials because of a hamstring injury but is due to race in London on 22 July and is expected to be named in the Olympic squad this week.

“I’ve raced him in a 200, and he’s beaten me in a 200,” Merritt said. “He’s raced me in the 400 and I beat him in Kingston one year. We’ve lined up  – he’s human, everybody’s human."

Justin Gatlin vows not to get ‘sucked into the hype’ against Usain Bolt at Rio 2016