FROM LEFT: Qatar’s Abdelaziz Mohamed, Jamaica’s Rasheed Dwyer, Britain’s Miguel Francis and Canada’s Aaron Brown in action during the men’s 200 metres heats yesterday.
Dubbed as the next big sprint star after Usain Bolt, USA’s Noah Lyles eased into the semi-finals of the men’s 200m at the IAAF World Championships living up to his favourite tag in the elite event.
With the 100m winner decided on Saturday, spotlight is now on the 200m battle among the men’s track events at the picturesque Khalifa International Stadium.
The next two days, which will feature semi-final and the final of the men’s 200m, promise to be action-filled as Canadian star Andre De Grasse and top Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake also advanced to the semi-final. Newly-crowned 100m champion Christian Coleman will be missed after he withdrew from the contest.
World leader Lyles, who clocked 19:50 in Lausanne last July, took 20:26 to finish second in the last heat yesterday to move into the semi-final.
“I expect from myself to keep winning as the rounds go on, trying to conserve energy and hold it off and let it lose at the finals,” said Lyles, who sported a new grey hair colour to mark his World Championships debut.
“The new grey hair colour is my ultra instinct for fans out there,” he said.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards finished ahead of Lyles with a time of in 20.23.
“I knew it was not going to be easy with Noah Lyles in the heat. It was a narrow win and I am satisfied,” Richards said after the heat.
Returning from a show that lent him 100m bronze medal, De Grasse cruised on top in his heat with a time of 20.29, while Blake (20.23), who missed a men’s 100m medal on Saturday, came second in heat 3. Diamond League star Alex Quinonez of Ecuador won the heat with a time of 20.08.
“From the first centimeters, I wanted to see where I am at and wanted to go safely to the semi-final. Now it is the time to cool down and get ready for the semi-final,” said De Grasse.
Britain’s Adam Gemili won the first heat of men’s 200m, recording 20.06 followed by Turkey’s Ramil Guliyev (20.27) and Yamir Burnet (20.37). Trinidad and Tobago’s Kyle Greaux and Canada’s Aaron Brow also won their heats.
Qatar’s 2018 Youth Olympics gold medalists Abdelaziz Mohamed marked his season best time of 20.75 before bowing out of the competition.
In the men’s 800m semi-final yesterday, Qatar’s Abubaker Haydar Abdalla failed to enter the title race after he finished last in his heat, clocking 1:46.87. The heat was won by Puerto Rican who clocked 1:43.96.
