Darrell Browns hopes of double gold in Debrecen were dashed as the young Trinidadian gold medallist in yesterdays 100m pulled up clutching his back in the todays 200 metre heats.
With Brown out of the picture, it was the 100m bronze medallist Jonathan Wade (USA) who recorded the fastest time in the qualifying heats, with 21.31 and starts out as the favourite for tomorrows final.
Close behind came Julius Leigh of South Africa with 21.49, Lawrence Oboh of Great Britain had the third fastest time in qualifying with 21.56.
Wade was a convincing winner of the first heat with a finishing time of 21.20 as he slowed down across the line and took the time to look back and see where the competition was: well behind him. Till Helmke from Germany was second in the first heat with 21.51.
The USA took the honours in the second heat too, with a relaxed Michael Grant pulling into the lead as the field entered the home straight and maintaining his lead to the line despite a last ditch push by Tamunosiki Atorudibo from Nigeria, who finished second in the heat with 21.26 to Grants 21.24.
But the fastest heat was the third,won by Trinidad and Tobagos Dion Rodriguez in 21.21, with Lawrence Oboh (GBR) in second place with 21.33. With the first two in each heat and the 2 fastest finishers going through to the final, the automatic qualifiers will be joined by Tesfa Latty (JAM) and Leigh Julius (RSA) in tomorrows final.