Fred Kerley pulls out of 200m dash after qualifying in 100m for Paris Olympics 2024 at U.S. Track and Field Olympic Team Trials 

Fred Kerley has pulled out from the 200m event in the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Team Trials 2024. The withdrawal comes days after he made the 100m team for Paris Olympics 2024 alongside Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek.

Kerley wasn't deemed among the favorites to make the 100m USA Team in Paris after a dismal outdoor season until the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials. He didn't run a sub-10 race in his four outdoor meetings prior to the trials, clocking a best of 10.03s in his season opener at the Hurricane Invitational in March.

He ran times of 10.11, 10.17 and 10.11 after his season opener and was later forced out for a short period due to a minor injury. US had some of the fastest entrants in the 100m at trials but Kerley unleashed his best form in the semifinals and finals to shock everyone. A blistering 9.88s in the 100m finals saw him finish third and qualify for his second consecutive Olympic Games.

Fred Kerley had declared for both 100m and 200m events before the trials but now has scratched from the latter following the qualification in the quarter lap event.

Kerley hadn't raced much in the 200m this season that well as it isn't his premier event. The 29-year-old had ran the half-lap event only once this seay, clocking 20.17s for the second place at Jamaica Athleics Invitational on 11 May. He likely had the 200m event as a back up if he didn't make the team in the 100m.

Fred Kerley ready to put on a show at Paris Olympics 2024

2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field - Day 3

In 2021 U.S. Track and Field Olympic Team Trials, Fred Kerley had also finished third. He went on to win a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 in a time of 9.84s, just 0.04s behind gold medal winner Marcel Jacobs. Though he got the same result this year at the trials, he hopes to change the Olympic results in Paris.

“It's gold time. The season started today, so owning it up," he told Citius Magazine in a post-race interview when asked what his third place finish at Trials meant about his preparations.

He also talked about the tumultuous changes that kept happening in his career over the course of the last year.

"Everything comes to an end and everything comes to a beginning and this was my beginning," he expresssed.

Although Fred Kerley remains a top contender for one of the medals at Paris Olympics 2024 for his ability to rise up at the big occasions, he will need to be faster as the Games loom on the horizon.