American Junior champion Shalonda Solomon (USA) set herself up as favourite for the 200m gold after powering to 23.13 (wind +0.7m/s) this afternoon to record the fastest time of today’s three semi finals. Running in the second heat, Shalonda ran a conservative bend, with Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad and Tobago matching her stride for stride. But then Solomon began progressively to build her lead, finishing in relaxed fashion three metres clear of Baptiste, who clocked 23.53, to make sure of the second automatic qualifying place.
In the first heat, France’s Aurelie Kamga was fastest away, but Jamaica’s Nickesha Anderson came through strongly on the home straight, taking first place in 23.55 (wind +0.7m/s). The Frenchwoman held on to the second automatic qualifying spot with 23.89 although the fast finishing American Shana Cox finished only 1 100th behind, and would progress to the final as a “fastest loser”.
In the final heat, Jamaica’s Anneisha McLaughlin, the World Youth Champion who is also contesting her third successive World Juniors in Grosseto, qualified effortlessly with a 23.41 (win +0.5 m/s) victory. Germany’s Maike Dix fought hard to stay ahead of Nigeria’s Seyi Omojuwa down the home straight, and stopped the clock at 23.76, a new personal best in her second race of the day. Omojuwa’s 23.81 in third was enough to get her to the final as a fastest loser.
