EUGENE, Ore. -- LaShawn Merritt considers his 200-meter races to be more of a lark than anything else.Think of the possibilities if they ever become a serious pursuit.Already qualified for the Olympics in his real race, the 400, Merritt pulled away for an easy victory in the opening round of 200-meter qualifying at the rain-soaked U.S. Olympic Trials on Thursday, posting the nights third-best time at 20.09 seconds.He already has the worlds best time this year, at 19.78 seconds, and if world-record holder Usain Bolts hamstring injury turns out to be worse than expected -- well, who knows what could happen?Its not really a serious thing for me, said Merritt, who also owns the fastest time at 400 meters this year. I just want to have some fun with it, and if I have the ability to do it, I figure Ill do it. Ill try to make it as light as possible.Among those who take the 200 more seriously are worlds silver medalist Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay, Mike Rodgers and Wallace Spearmon, who is trying to return to the upper-echelon of this race after struggling with injuries. All made it through their first-round heats with ease.Allyson Felix also views it as more work than play, and is trying to become the first woman to win Olympic gold in both events. Felix is already qualified at 400 meters and begins her quest in the 200, her specialty, on Friday.Merritt could become the first man to win a 200-400 Olympic double since Michael Johnson in 1996. But his specialty is the 400 and he still has some goals there.Among them: World record, he said. He won the Olympic gold in 2008, but pulled out of the first round in 2012 with a hamstring injury.In his world, the 200 is mainly good training.And yet, watching him pumping his fists as he hit the stretch, then steadily pulling away for a .44-second cushion over the second-place finisher, it was easy to see why hes at least giving this a try.If anybody can do it, LaShawn can do it, Gatlin said. To watch him run is amazing. I know hes got it in the tank. So lets see him put it out there.Gatlin, a more seasoned veteran than Merritt at both the distance and the art of the double, saved energy in his opener, especially with rain starting to soak the track at Hayward Field. He ran the 200 in 20.32 and finished .05 behind Ameer Webb. But all these prelim times go in the wastebasket almost as soon as theyre recorded.Just play it smart, Gatlin said. Im on to the next round. Almost a blueprint of what I did in the 100. Go faster. Rise to the occasion.Other happenings on Day 6 of Olympic Trials:SHOT DIVA: Michelle Carter (Twitter handle @shotdiva) already had her Olympic spot wrapped up. Then, she won the meet on the last throw of the night, just like she did at the world indoor championships this spring. Her mark of 64 feet, 3 1/4 inches beat out Raven Saunders and knocked Felisha Saunders into third. Veteran Jill Camarena-Williams finished fifth in what she said would be her last Olympic Trials. She also said, I always wait to see Michelles last throw. I would never, ever leave.TRIPLE JUMP: Two-time NCAA champion Keturah Orji, who once dreamed of being an Olympic gymnast, will get a chance at another kind of title. She won the womens triple jump and will head to Rio. On the mens side, Christian Taylors quest for an Olympic repeat is on track. He needed one jump to make it through qualifying and will try to secure his spot Saturday.THE TOUGHEST JUMP: Stephanie Garcia was in the mix for an Olympic spot in steeplechase until the final lap. First, she got passed for the third position. Then, in her quest to catch up, she stumbled over the last barrier and went tumbling. Emma Coburn, Courtney Frerichs and Colleen Quigley earned the trips to Rio. Garcia said she still recorded a victory of sorts: I knew if I didnt make it, then I was going to make those who did work very, very hard.MORE MEDALS: Among Olympic medal winners who made it through their qualifying rounds Thursday were Leonel Manzano (1,500), Bershawn Jackson (400 hurdles) and Dawn Harper-Nelson (100 hurdles). Harper-Nelson, the 2008 gold medalist, was in the same heat with American record holder Keni Harrison, but barely noticed. I tell my husband, `Tell me what lane Im in and what heat. The rest doesnt matter, Harper-Nelson said.QUOTABLE: With [Jamaicas] rules, hopefully theyll let him in. If not, it might be the first time the Olympic committee sends a personal invite to an athlete to come to the games. Theyd lose some money if he didnt show up. -- Wallace?Spearmon, on the chances of Usain Bolt making the Olympics despite his recent hamstring problems. Bobby Hebert Youth Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Taysom Hill Saints Jersey . Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey last Sunday. The fine is the fourth this season for Goldson. He was fined $30,000 for a hit on the New York Jets Jeff Cumberland in Week 1. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-Archie-Manning-Jersey/ . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. Morten Andersen Jersey . 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WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- New Zealands All Blacks are in South Africa preparing to play without their top halfback, who was sent home weeping after getting caught cheating on his girlfriend in an airport restroom.The scandal surrounding Aaron Smith, regarded as one of the best rugby scrumhalves in the world, has dominated media in New Zealand this week.Prime Minister John Key waded into the furor Thursday, saying Smith -- who led the All Blacks in their iconic pre-game haka during last years World Cup championship campaign -- clearly let himself and those that are close to him down.Smith was suspended for one match, missing the All Blacks last outing in the southern hemisphere rugby championship this Saturday in Durban against the Springboks, and faces a misconduct hearing.Before leaving South Africa, he apologized to his girlfriend, teammates, the New Zealand Rugby Union, and All Blacks fans.I made a huge mistake, a huge error in judgment, he said, in a tearful apology .His girlfriend, in a statement released by the NZRU, asked for privacy.The incident happened on Sept. 17 at the airport in Christchurch where, the day before, the All Blacks beat South Africa 41-13. Smith and a woman spent about 10 minutes in a restroom for those with disabilities.An annoyed couple with children was waiting outside the bathroom, and they taped sounds and took pictures of Smith leaving the scene. That information didnt come to light until this week, and the All Blacks took action because Smith was in team uniform on a team trip.Key believed the incident was unusual in that the All Blacks, for more than a decade, had been good role models for the most part.But Smith was benched for a test match against South Africa in 2012 after breaking a team curfew, and in 2014 he sent a naked picture of himself on a social networking app which was captured by other users.The All Blacks have woon all eight of their matches this year after beating Australia in the 2015 World Cup final.dddddddddddd But New Zealand rugby has also had several scandals regarding player behavior.The (NZRU), coming off the back of a few other pretty poor PR issues in recent times, will want to send a strong message to the All Blacks that they have a high level of expectation of their behavior, Key said. And Aaron clearly didnt meet it.Those PR issues have made New Zealanders question the pedestal on which rugby players are put in the country, whether players deserve star treatment, or should even be role models.The NZRU was slammed last month after an in-house investigation couldnt substantiate claims by a stripper that she was sexually assaulted by players from Hamilton-based team the Chiefs, at their Super Rugby postseason party in July. The investigation didnt punish any players, but formally cautioned them.After outrage from many who said the investigation lacked independence and transparency, NZRU chief executive Steve Tew admitted that in terms of educating players on respecting women, they had not got it right.Soon after, promising player Losi Filipo was discharged without conviction for a brutal assault last year on four people, two of them women. The judge reportedly said, Are the courts in the business of destroying peoples career prospects?Filipo, who was an under-19 player for Wellington, had his playing contract terminated the next day. Still many criticized apparent star treatment for rugby players.One of the men he beat up, also a rugby player, said he was still suffering headaches. His mother said Filipo should have gone to jail.Its a rugby thing. If he played hockey, basketball, or anything else, I dont think he would have got off. ' ' '