Tyson Gay threw down the gauntlet to World Championship rival Usain Bolt by running 9.77secs in the 100m in Rome on Friday.

Gay equalled his personal best as he forced Jamaican Asafa Powell into second place at the third Golden League meeting of the season.

Powell finished in 9.88, with Yohan Blake and Daniel Bailey also dipping under the 10-second mark.

Gay's performance will have sent out a message to Olympic champion Bolt that he may not get things all his own way at next month's World Championships in Berlin.

There was also a highly-impressive display from Kerron Stewart in the women's 100m.

She became the fifth fastest woman in history as she clocked 10.75secs to win the final ahead of fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser.

Stewart's win keeps her in contention for a share of the US$1million Golden League jackpot.

Sanya Richards also kept in the hunt by winning the women's 400m. She looked in fine form as she ran 49.46secs to win by almost a second from Shericka Williams.

Richards, who has consistently performed in the Golden League only to fail at the major championships, will now be hopeful of finally winning a global gold, although Britain's reigning world and Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu, currently competing at the UK Championships, will doubtless have something to say about that.

Two other athletes are still in the jackpot hunt.

Kenenisa Bekele again showed his class to win the 5,000m, while Elena Isinbayeva tasted victory in the pole vault once more.

However, javelin star Tero Pitkamaki lost his unbeaten record in this season's Golden League and so is now out of contention for the prize pool.

The Finn lost out to Norwegian rival Andreas Thorkildsen.

Meanwhile, the home fans in the Stadio Olimpico were were delighted by high jumper Antonietta Di Martino, who caused one of the shocks of the night by beating world champion Blanka Vlasic.

The fourth of six Golden League meetings takes place in Paris next Friday.