John Capel edged Darvis Patton to capture the 200m at the World Championships on Friday, giving American sprinters a morale-boosting 1-2 finish after they were shut out of the medals in the 100m.
Dwight Phillips gave the US its second gold medal of the day when won the long jump, adding to his indoor title.
In the 200m, Shingo Suetsugu gave Japan its first sprint medal at world championships or Olympic Games when he grabbed the bronze.
Capel finished in 20.30 seconds, edging Patton by 0.01 seconds for the gold. On a cooler night after a rain shower left the track wet, Capel led off the turn, fell behind, but recovered to beat Patton, the US champion.
The two Americans then knelt together in prayer. US sprinters were shut out of the 100m medals here for the first time since 1995.
Suetsugu, the Asian champion, clocked 20.38 and then burst into tears as he hugged his coach.
Phillips won an exciting long jump competition with a leap of 8.32m.
James Beckford of Jamaica was second at 8.28. Beckford already had a silver at the 1995 worlds and the 1996 Olympics. The bronze went to Yago Lamela of Spain, the 1999 silver medalist, who jumped 8.22.
Allen Johnson of the US, seeking his fourth 110m hurdles title, breezed into the final by easily winning his group in 13.19 seconds.
World record holder Wilson Kipketer stayed alive in his bid for his fourth world title by qualifying for the final in the 800, finishing just behind Russia's Yuriy Borzakovskiy in their heat.
Kipketer's job was made easier by the elimination of defending champion Andre Bucher of Switzerland, who snapped Kipketer's streak two years ago in Edmonton. Bucher finished only fifth in his semifinal heat. But the 1999 high jump champion Inga Babakova of Ukraine failed to qualify for the final. She cleared only 1.88m missed all three attempts at 1.91.
The American 200 double came one day after Kelli White completed an exceptional women's sprint double, something not even Marion Jones has been unable to do. Now she goes for a unique triple.
This weekend, White will try to add the 4x100m relay for a third sprint gold, something even Germans Silke Gladisch in 1987 and Katrin Krabbe in 1991 could not accomplish.
The US team easily qualified for the final, winning their heat in a season's leading 42.03. White sat out the heat, after having run eight races during the opening week to secure her sprint double.
White ran to victory in the 200m Thursday.
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