Christopher Taylor advanced to the men’s 400 metres final after clocking a season’s best of 44.92 seconds in semi-final two on Monday’s (2 Aug) fourth day of the Tokyo 2020 games.
Taylor will start in lane number nine for the final, where he will face and in form Kirani James, who qualified with the fastest time of 43.88. James, the London 2012 champion, won semi-final number one in his fastest time since Rio 2016.
Also advancing to the final was Steven Gardiner, who won semi-final three in 44.14 seconds. American Michael Norman finished second behind Gardiner in 44.52 to take the second automatic spot.
Deon Lendore with 44.93 seconds, Machel Cedenio with 45.86 seconds, Alonzo Russell with 46.04 seconds and Demish Gaye with a season’s best of 45.09 seconds all failed in their bid.
Also failing to make the final cut was dethroned champion and world record holder Wayde Van Niekerk of South Africa, who ran 45.14.
|
POS
|
RANK
|
HEAT
|
BIB | COUNTRY | ATHLETE |
MARK
|
DETAILS
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2235 | GRN |
43.88 SB
|
Q
|
|
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
1551 | COL |
43.93 AR
|
Q
|
|
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
1136 | BAH |
44.14 SB
|
Q
|
|
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
3913 | USA |
44.44
|
Q
|
|
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
3958 | USA |
44.52
|
Q
|
|
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
1270 | BOT |
44.59
|
q
|
|
|
7
|
3
|
1
|
3015 | NED |
44.62 NR
|
q
|
|
|
8
|
2
|
2
|
2634 | JAM |
44.92 SB
|
Q
|
Jamaican national champion Janieve Russell will be vying for a spot on the podium when she runs from lane number 6 in the women’s 400 metres hurdles final. She booked her spot from semi-final number one, clocking 54.10 seconds.
Dalilah Muhammad (USA) won the semi-final heat at 53.30, and her teammate Sydney McLaughlin topped semi-final two at 53.03. McLaughlin ran a world record 51.90 to beat Muhammad at the US Omplpic Trials.
At the Doha 2019 World Championships, Muhammad ran 52.16, a then world record, to beat McLaughlin.
In the field, Jamaican national discus record holder Shadae Lawrence finished seventh in the women’s discus final. Her best effort of 62.12 metres.
