Tyson Gay snatched victory ahead of Asafa Powell in a thrilling 100 metres at the World Athletics Final in Thessalonika on Saturday night.

Powell, chasing a sixth success at the lucrative meeting, seemed to have another win assured a few strides from the line.

But American Gay, with an astonishing spurt, threw himself across the line to win by two hundredths of a second.

Gay finished runner-up to Usain Bolt at last month's World Championships, where he pushed Powell into third place, and he showed no signs of the groin injury which has troubled him almost throughout the entire summer season.

That made his performance on Saturday night appear even more incredible as he ended the dream of Jamaican Powell, the former world record holder who now has achieved 57 sub-10 second marks, of retaining his title in the last ever staging of the event.

Gay said: "I tried hard to beat Asafa and I didn't quit the race even though I was far behind him. My groin was sore but that didn't stop me chasing and finally beating him."

Powell admitted: "I got surprised - I didn't expect Tyson Gay to come from behind and beat me."

The two-day event, which is the culmination of the European season, saw many stars fighting fatigue as they chased winners' purses of $30,000 in every event.

Kenenisa Bekele was challenged by Bernard Lagat down the final straight in the 3,000metres but always appeared in control and held off his American rival to win by 0.21secs in eight minutes and 03.79 seconds.

The Ethiopian immediately revealed he was bringing his season to a close after an exhausting programme which has seen him win the world 5,000m and 10,000m gold medals and kept a clean sheet in six demanding Golden League 3,000m and 5,000m races.

"I feel very tired and as a result I will not run the 5,000m (tomorrow)," Bekele said.

In the women's pole vault, Yelena Isinbayeva could not muster enough energy when attempting to set a 28th world record with the bar at 5.07 metres.

The 27-year-old Russian cleared 4.80m before having the bar raised but never looked likely to achieve what would have been a 15th outdoor record.

Isinbayeva, who set her current record of 5.06m 15 days ago in Zurich, won easily ahead of Fabiana Murer and Monika Pyrek who shared second place with vaults of 4.60m.

There was a thrilling finish to the 200m where the American pair of Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards jostled for the win.

The pair were almost inseparable and given the same of 22.29 seconds, but world champion Felix was given the verdict ahead of 400m specialist Richards.