Asafa Powell wins his 60m semifinal at the IAAF World Indoor Championships Portland 2016 (© Getty Images)
After running a Caribbean record of 6.44 in the morning, Jamaica’s Asafa Powell confirmed his ambitions to win his first individual world title by producing an identical time to win his semifinal.
In his wake, China’s Su Bingtian equalled the Asian indoor record with 6.50, ahead of USA’s 2014 world indoor silver medallist Marvin Bracy, who will enter the final as the fastest non-automatic qualifier (6.54).
Kim Collins ran a season’s best of 6.49 to take the second heat, ahead of USA’s 2010 world indoor silver medallist Mike Rodgers, who was also rewarded with a season’s best of 6.51.
USA’s world 100m bronze medallist Trayvon Bromell took the first heat in a photo finish with Ramon Gittens of Barbados. They both clocked 6.53, which represented a national record for the latter.
Xie Zhenye equalled his lifetime best from the heats (6.55) and will join his compatriot Su in the medal race. For the second consecutive time there will be two Asian sprinters in the 60m final at the World Indoors.
Javier Clavelo Robinson for the IAAF
