Barbadian sprinter Mario Burke’s maiden Olympic Games could be over prematurely as he hobbled to the finish line in heat 7 of the men’s 100 metres heat at the Tokyo 2020 Games this morning.
He appeared to suffer a hamstring injury in the race which could put in doubt his participation in the heats of the men’s 200 metres which begin on Monday. He fought bravely to finish the race in 15.86 seconds.
Burke started in a pacy heat which involved the likes of Jamaican Yohan Blake, a silver medallist in the 100m and 200m in at the London 2012 Games.
Gutted to end my Olympics this way ? but rest assured I’ll be back stronger than ever… thank you for all the well wishes I really appreciate it ??
— Mario ⚡️? (@MarioOBurke) July 31, 2021
Blake was eventually beaten into second place Australian sprinter Rohan Browning who won in a personal best 10.01 seconds. Blake was timed at 10.06 seconds, while third place went to Great Britain’s Chijindu Ujah who clocked 10.08 seconds.
Canada’s Andre de Grasse, a 100m bronze medallist and 200m silver medallist at the Rio 2016 Games, registered the quickest time in the 100m heats, a season’s best 9.91 seconds in heat five.
USA’s Fred Kerley was one of three athletes to dip below the 10-second barrier, clocking 9.97 seconds to take second spot behind de Grasse. The third to clock sub-10 seconds was Italy’s Lamont Marcelle Jacobs, who finished the third heat in the second quickest overall time of 9.94 seconds, a new national record. (NM)
