Adams, Dambile advance in 200m heats as US eye another clean sweep

SA’s new 200m star Luxolo Adams comfortably qualified for the semifinals at the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, on Monday evening (Tuesday morning SA time), but the threat of another American clean sweep looms large. 

Adams, who clocked a 19.82 sec personal best in Paris last month, crossed the line in 20.10 sec as he finished second in the third of seven heats behind Erriyon Knighton of the US in 20.01. 

National champion Sinesipho Dambile produced a 20.29 personal best as he took second spot behind Fred Kerley, the 100m champion, in 20.17 in the fifth race.

But US-based student Shaun Maswanganyi, a semi-finalist at the Tokyo Olympics, fell out of contention after pulling up injured metres from the line, having looked good coming out of the bend.

Akani Simbine was the only one of three South Africans to advance to the 100m semifinals last Friday, and now two have done it in the 200m.  

However, with Olympic champion Andre De Grasse of Canada withdrawing from the line-up, the American quartet will be considered favourites for the first three places in Thursday’s final (Friday morning SA time). Kerley led the US to a podium domination of the 100m at the weekend.

Kenneth Bednarek, reigning world champion Noah Lyles and Knighton took places two to four at the Olympics last year, and now Kerley will be there trying to claim the sprint double, which would make him the first American to do so since Tyson Gay in 2007.

Justin Gatlin and Maurice Greene did it in 2005 and 1999, while Usain Bolt of Jamaica bagged the double on three occasions, in 2009, 2013 and 2015. 

Lyles was the only one to go under 20 seconds in the heats, clocking 19.98 on his 25th birthday, with Knighton tied as the second-fastest. 

Alongside him was Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic, a member of their golden mixed 4x400m relay team, who won his heat ahead of Bednarek. 

And then came Adams, who will face Lyles and Bednarek in the semifinals on Tuesday (Wednesday morning SA time), though he should take heart at the fact that he goes in with the second-best of the season’s best. Only Lyles, with his 19.61, has been faster. 

Dambile goes up against Kerley, Ogando and three Blakes — veteran Jamaican Yohan Blake, Canada’s Jerome Blake and Briton Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake.

In the women’s 200m, Shirley Nekhubui ended seventh in her heat in 23.46. 

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.