“I needed a little bit more work on that than in the second round, but I used the same concept. To start fast and then control the race. For me the best lane in the finals will be six or seven.”
Words spoken by Usain Bolt after taking the first semi in 20.03.
For such a big man, Bolt gets away fast. Though on paper the stats say he is one of the slowest starters, it certainly does not look that way to the human eye.
Running in one of his favourite lanes, six, Bolt was up on medal candidate Wallace Spearmon (USA) by the end of the bend and going away.
As they entered the straight, Spearmon had his usual relaxed start and was in sixth position, but then started his trademark charge for the line, making up ground alarmingly.
Up front, Bolt was away and clear and shutting down, knowing he was safe, apart from a loose lace on his left foot that was in danger of tripping him up. That's something he needs to sort out for the final.
Spearmon was also content to cruise the last 50m, giving nothing away about his real ability on the Osaka track. After 19.82 this year and a PB of 19.65 there is clearly more to come.
American number three, Rodney Martin, qualified in third in a season’s best 20.18 while the Netherland’s Antilles Churandy Martina recorded new national figures of 20.20 to clinch the last final spot in this semi.
Starting in lane five in the second semi, gold medal favourite Tyson Gay, also set out to establish a winning lead by the time he entered the straight.
On his outside, however, Jamaica’s Marvin Anderson was giving a good impression of matching Gay stride for stride.
Gay ran a controlled second 100m to cross the line in 20.00 to marginally upstage Bolt’s time by 0.03.
Meanwhile, behind him, Anderson was having the race of his life and was rewarded with a PB 20.06.
“This race felt a lot better than the quarter final,” said Gay. “My hamstring was popping then. Now my hamstring feels a little better.”
Jamaican Christopher Williams and Greece’s Anastasios Gousis were the final qualifiers for the final.
Osaka 2007 New Team/mb
