Botswana’s Isaac Makwala has qualified for Thursday’s 200m men’s final at the 2017 World Championships, finishing 2nd in Heat 1 of the semifinals, which earned him an automatic qualification.
Makwala, who competed in a solo race two hours before the semis, looked like a man on a mission as he pumped his fist while crossing the line in 20.14s, finishing 2nd behind Isiah Young who won in 20.12s and gained automatic qualification.
The Botswana athlete was not allowed to run the 400m final after he was quarantined over the possibility that he could have contracted a norovirus, the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis, and when he was cleared to run alone for a spot in the semis, he clocked 20.20s, running better than the required 20.53s mark.
“I put everything on God after what happened yesterday. I’m still running with my heart broken. I wish the IAAF had given me the decision to run the 400m first. I was ready to run. I don’t know who made the decision. 400m is my reason for training,” Makwala said afterwards.
“I’m running with anger. 400m is my race. But thanks to the crowd, they were amazing.”
Makwala is joined in the final by Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards who comfortably won Heat 2 in 20.14s, and Sani Brown who was 2nd in 20.43s.
The surprise of the evening came in Heat 3 where Wayde Van Niekerk finished 3rd in 20.28s. Although it was enough to earn him one of the fastest losers spots, he was beaten by Rahim Guliyev who won in 20.17s, and Ameer Webb who was 2nd in 20.22s.
“I knew it would be a tough challenge. To see my name in the final is a real pleasure. I’ve got time to recover now and give it my all in the final,” Van Niekerk said after the race.
Meanwhile 2012 Olympic Silver medallist, Yohan Blake could not make it through to the final after finishing 3rd in his heat with a time of 20.52s. Also missing out in the final is South Africa’s Akani Simbine who finished 7th in heat 1 with a time of 20.62s
