Usain Bolt easily qualified for the men’s 200m after playfully crossing the line with a Season’s Best of 19.78s to win heat 2 of the men’s 200m semifinals at the Rio Olympics.
Sadly there won’t be a rematch between him and Justin Gatlin, after the American missed out on qualification by virtue of his third place finish in heat 3 with a time of 20.13s
Gatlin will rue the missed opportunity of winning a medal in what appears to be his last individual appearance, after he felt that he had 2nd place guaranteed not pushing to beat Alonso Edward who won in 20.07s, only for Churandy Martina to pip him at the line and take the second automatic spot in 20.10s.
Bolt on his part, practically jogged to the finish line and even before the finish line was joking with Andre De Grasse who took things easy, racing to a Canada National Record of 19.80s.
LaShawn Merritt was another fast finisher after comfortably winning his heat in 19.94s, with Christophe Lemaitre running an SB of 20.01s to qualify for the final.
With Gatlin missing out on qualification, all the others in the field will fancy their chances for a medal, with Bolt barring any unforeseen circumstance the sure bet for GOLD.
