World leader Shawn Crawford led all qualifiers in the quarter-finals of the 200 metres with his 19.95 win in the opening heat, the third sub-20 performance of the season for the US champion.
Despite easing up in the final 20 metres, Crawford handily beat runner-up Frank Fredericks of Namibia, whose 20.20 was a season’s best. German Tobias Unger, who raced to bronze at this year’s World Indoor championships, notched a big personal best of 20.30 to take the third spot. The 25-year-old arrived in Athens with a 20.41 PB from last year. Jamaican Christopher Williams (20.34), the 2001 World Championships silver medallist moved on the semi-finals as well.
Justin Gatlin’s campaign to become the first Olympic double sprint champion since 1988 continued with his easy 20.03 win in heat three. Gatlin, who stunned the world with his thrilling win in the shorter dash on Sunday, eased up some 15 metres from the finish, yet easily outdistanced Jamaican Asafa Powell, who was next in 20.23. Sebastian Ernst of Germany was third (20.36), with Slovenia’s Matic Osovnikar advancing as well. His 20.47 was the 23-year-old’s second national record of the Games. Briton Christian Malcolm (20.56) moves on as well.
Heat four was won by 100 metre silver medallist Francis Obiwkelu in 20.33, 3/100s ahead of Stephane Buckland of Mauritius. Also moving on are Mexican record holder Juan Pedro Toledo (20.43) and defending silver medallist Darren Campbell (20.59) of Great Britain. But the Briton was straining as he reached the line, and seems unlikely to line-up in tomorrow’s semi-finals.
In heat two, the slowest of the four, Bernard Williams was pushed to his 20.40 victory by Anastasios Gousis. The 25-year-old Greek clocked 20.46, just shy of his 20.44 personal best from the morning’s first round. 2001 European U-23 champion Marcin Jedrusinski (20.55) was third, advancing easily.
The first three in each heat, plus the next four fastest advanced to tomorrow's semi-final. The final is scheduled for Thursday.
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