EUGENE, United State (AFP) — Tyson Gay powered past teenaged challenger Trayvon Bromell to win the US 100m crown in 9.87sec on Friday and book his first trip to the World Championships since 2009.

Gay, 32 and trying to regain the sport’s summit after a one-year drugs ban, rated the triumph as perhaps the most important of his career.

“I feel like it was the toughest,” he said, noting that rising talents like Bromell were raising the stakes in US sprinting.

He credited his veteran skills with getting him through the rounds with enough left to overhaul the 19-year-old Bromell, relegating him to second in 9.96.

“He got out good, it was just one of those 10-years-of-experience, dig-down moments — I had to get him,” Gay said. “It felt good though.”

Mike Rodgers was third in 9.97 to grab the final berth on offer for the August 22-30 World Championships in Beijing.

They’ll join teammate Justin Gatlin, who has a bye into the 100m in Beijing thanks to his 2014 Diamond League title and is focusing this week on the 200m and a possible double world championships challenge to Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt.

Gay won 100m, 200m and 4x100m gold at the 2007 World Championships and took 100m silver behind Bolt at the 2009 Worlds.

He missed the 2011 World Championships after a hip injury forced him out of trials, and withdrew from the 2013 World Championships in Moscow as he awaited the verdict in his doping case.

“Just being able to come back from a mistake, show the world that you can make up for the mistake — it means a lot,” Gay said.

America’s women sprinters sent a strong signal in a women’s 100m won by Tori Bowie in 10.81sec.

Bowie powered past English Gardner, who finished second in 10.86 with collegiate standout Jasmine Todd third in 10.92.