The 200 meters semi-finals at the Rio Olympics were hit by shocks on Wednesday evening, as former world champions Yohan Blake and Justin Gatlin failed to make the final.
Blake, the silver medalist in this event from London 2012, finished sixth in his semi-final. Gatlin, the silver medalist from the 100 meters won by Usain Bolt, appeared to ease up in his heat and paid the price, with a time of 20.13 seconds only good enough for third.
Adam Gemili, the Briton, ran 20.08 seconds, to put him into the final as one of the fastest losers.
Bolt appears the clear favorite once again in the final, which takes place on Thursday evening local time. His closest rival may come from the United States camp, with LaShawn Merritt having set a world-leading time in July of 19.74 seconds.
Andre De Grasse, the 21-year-old Canadian sprinter who claimed bronze in the 100 meters, could also rival Bolt, having finished second in his semi-final behind the Jamaican in 19.80 seconds.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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