Jereem cruises to Worlds 200m semi

JEREEM Richards cruised to the semi-final round of the men's 200 metres, on the fourth day of the IAAF World Athletics Championships, in Eugene, Oregon, United States on Monday evening.

The 28-year-old, who secured 200m bronze at the 2017 Worlds in London, England, won his first round heat (heat two) in a time of 20.35 seconds.

Richards, who ran in lane three, used his trademark late surge to power to victory, ahead of Canada's Aaron Brown, who clocked 20.60 seconds, and Japan's Shota Iizuka, who was timed in 20.72.

Shaun Maswanganyi of South Africa (20.79), Simon Hansen of Denmark (20.80), Shainer Rengifo Montoya of Cuba (20.80) and Joseph Green of Guam (22.04) rounded off the field.

The semi-final round will be contested on Tuesday, from 9.50 pm (TT time).

However, Eric Harrison, the 23-year-old American-born sprinter, was unable to advance to the semis, after he finished fifth in the seventh and final heat.

Harrison, the son of a Trinidadian mother, faded in the last 60 metres, in lane eight, and crossed the finish line in 20.54.

American Noah Lyles, the 2019 Worlds 200m gold medallist, strolled to victory in 19.98, followed by Jamaica's Rasheed Dwyer (20.29), China's Zhenye Xie (20.30) and Germany's Owen Ansah (20.52). Lucas Vilar of Brazil was sixth in 20.65 while Jan Jirka of the Czech Republic was seventh in 20.73.

Lyles's time was the fastest overall in the first round.

Another American sprinter, Fred Kerley, the men's 100m champ, prevailed in heat five in 20.17, with South Africa's Sinesipho Dambile (20.29) and Nigeria's Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike (20.34) trailing.

The men's 200m final is scheduled for Thursday.