RIO – Sprinting great Usain Bolt of Jamaica and 21-year-old Canadian Andre de Grasse set up a showdown in the Olympic 200 metres final after crossing the line together in their semi-final yesterday, but 100 metres silver medallist Justin Gatlin missed out along with Yohan Blake.
Bolt crossed in 19.78, with De Grasse clocking a Canadian record 19.80, despite both smiling and laughing at each other in the closing stages of the second of three heats.
The last time Bolt lost a major 200 metres race was in the 2007 World Championships when he was edged by American Tyson Gay, though training partner Blake did take him down in the 2012 Jamaican trials.
“I definitely think I can try for the world record,” said Bolt, who set the current mark of 19.19 in the 2009 World Championships. (Reuters)
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