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Justin Gatlin returns to the Olympics

  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States (lane 4) starts in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
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    Olympics Day 8 - Athletics

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States (lane 4) starts in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
    Ian Walton
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
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    Olympics Day 8 - Athletics

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
    Streeter Lecka
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
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    Olympics Day 8 - Athletics

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
    Streeter Lecka
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States leads as he competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
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    Olympics Day 8 - Athletics

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States leads as he competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
    Ian Walton
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: (L-R) Rondel Sorrillo of Trinidad and Tobago, Justin Gatlin of the United States and Barakat Mubarak Al-Harthi of Oman compete in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
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    Olympics Day 8 - Athletics

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: (L-R) Rondel Sorrillo of Trinidad and Tobago, Justin Gatlin of the United States and Barakat Mubarak Al-Harthi of Oman compete in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
    Michael Steele
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
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    Olympics Day 8 - Athletics

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
    Michael Steele
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States (L) competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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    Olympics Day 8 - Athletics

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States (L) competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
    Stu Forster
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
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    Olympics Day 8 - Athletics

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
    Streeter Lecka
  • Justin Gatlin of the United States wins the Men's 100m Final in a time of 9.85 at the Olympic Stadium during the Athens 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece on August 22, 2004. (Photo by Allen Kee/Getty Images)
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    Athens 2004 Olympic Games - Day 9 - Athletics - Men's 100m Final

    Justin Gatlin of the United States wins the Men's 100m Final in a time of 9.85 at the Olympic Stadium during the Athens 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece on August 22, 2004. (Photo by Allen Kee/Getty Images)
    Allen Kee
  • ATHENS - AUGUST 27: Bronze medalist Justin Gatlin of USA celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony of the men's 200 metre event on August 27, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in the Sports Complex in Athens, Greece. Shawn Crawford of USA came first and Bernard Williams of USA came second. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)
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    Mens 200m Medal Ceremony

    ATHENS - AUGUST 27: Bronze medalist Justin Gatlin of USA celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony of the men's 200 metre event on August 27, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in the Sports Complex in Athens, Greece. Shawn Crawford of USA came first and Bernard Williams of USA came second. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)
    Donald Miralle
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States (lane 4) starts in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States leads as he competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: (L-R) Rondel Sorrillo of Trinidad and Tobago, Justin Gatlin of the United States and Barakat Mubarak Al-Harthi of Oman compete in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States (L) competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Justin Gatlin of the United States competes in the Men's 100m Round 1 Heats on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Justin Gatlin of the United States wins the Men's 100m Final in a time of 9.85 at the Olympic Stadium during the Athens 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece on August 22, 2004. (Photo by Allen Kee/Getty Images)
ATHENS - AUGUST 27: Bronze medalist Justin Gatlin of USA celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony of the men's 200 metre event on August 27, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in the Sports Complex in Athens, Greece. Shawn Crawford of USA came first and Bernard Williams of USA came second. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

After a four-year ban from competition, American sprinter Justin Gatlin made a remarkable return to the Olympic track on Saturday. Nicknamed by fans as the “Gatlin Gun,” he finished ahead of the pack in the first heat of the 100 meter race. Gatlin, who won gold in the 2004 Athens Games, was suspended from 2006 to 2010 amid doping charges, but said he was unaware of any substance abuse. At 30 years old Gatlin will look to reclaim Olympic gold in 2012 against Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, and Tyson Gay.