indianapolis,indiana (reuters)

Ambitious Tyson Gay has a simple goal as he gears up for the U.S. national championships beginning today in this speed-loving city.

"I'm looking to run a personal best in the 100 (metres) and to make the team at both 100 and 200," said Gay, who earlier this month missed a 100 world record because his time of 9.76 seconds was slightly wind-assisted.

That time - plus an earlier wind-assisted performance of 9.79 seconds by Gay — served notice that world record holder Jamaican Asafa Powell, whose mark is 9.77 seconds, would face serious competition this season.

This week the United States, through its four-day trials, will select its team for the August world championships in Osaka, Japan.

Only the top three in each event, plus the defending world champion, make the team, provided they meet the championships standard.

That puts pressure on someone like the 24-year-old Gay, whose personal bests of 9.84 seconds in the 100 and 19.68 seconds in the 200 ranked him in the top two in the world last year.

SIZZLES

This year, collegian Walter Dix has the world's fastest non-wind-assisted times in both events. The 21-year-old clocked 9.93 seconds to win the collegiate 100 title and earlier ran the 200 in 19.69, the sixth fastest of all time.

Add in Leonard Scott, whose personal best is 9.91 seconds, and Olympic 200 gold medallist Shawn Crawford, who has run 9.88, and the 100 race has all the makings of a classic.

The 200 is equally exciting with six runners in the field, including Dix, Gay, Crawford, world silver medallist Wallace Spearmon and Xavier Carter, who have run under 20 seconds.

Joining them will be Olympic and world 400 gold medallist Jeremy Wariner, who as a defending world champion has a free pass to Osaka in the 400.

Highly competitive fields also are expected in the men's shot put and hurdles and the women's sprints.

World 100 champions Lauryn Williams (2005) and Torri Edwards (2003) and current world 200 gold medallist Allyson Felix are all entered in the women's 100.

They will be joined in the 200 by IAAF women's athlete of the year Sanya Richards, who also plans to run the 400.