Edward in Olympic semi-final
ALONSO EDWARD, Panama’s remaining hope for a place on the Olympic medal podium will compete in the 200 meters semi final on Wednesday August 17 aiming for the chance to run against sprinting super star Usain Bolt who will be aiming to pick up his second top spot on the way to his retirement goal of 3 golds in 3 successive Olympics.
A relatively easy qualifying ‘heat’ with a time of 20.19 seconds, put him in the semifinal.
According to the rules the first two of each 3 semi-finals advance to the last eight for the final. The other two positions are defined with the fastest time.
One advantage is that Panama will enter the track when you know what to do; runs in the third qualifying series and know beforehand the classifieds of the first two heat and who have achieved the two best times.
Edward will depart from the lane 5 and will next to Jamaican Yohan Blake (20.13 seconds) and 4 to Bruno Hortelano Spanish (20.12), who had the second fastest time of the preliminary round.
In lane 3 is the American Justin Gatlin (20.42), who is one of the favorites for the podium.
“I have prepared very well. We are on the right track. We ran really good time and relaxed, ” Edward told newsagency AFP.
Bolt (20.28 seconds in qualifying) will see action in the second round of the semifinal, alongside the 2015 Pan American champion Canadian Andre De Grasse (20.09).
In the first race of the semifinal, the Jamaican Nickel Ashmeade and American LaShawn Merritt are favorites to advance. Also competing are Mexican Jose Herrera and Costa Rican Nery Brenes.
