media_artricles :: 2017

GOLDEN GOAL

Richards leads the way into 200 semis

Jereem Richards issued a stern warning to his rivals in the opening round of the IAAF World Championship men's 200 metres event at the London Stadium here in London, England, yesterday. The 23-year-old sprinter looked very comfortable in winning heat two in a fast 20.05 seconds.

"I surprised myself," Richards told the Express. "I didn't feel I was going that fast. Going into the heats I wasn't really nervous, and I was wondering if I was supposed to be nervous or not. I was very relaxed, and that's what helped.

"And the atmosphere," he continued, "was like no other. It was a really good experience. The crowd loves track and field. When you go out there and you hear the crowd uproar for you, you're just going to be ready to run."

And run he did! Well-positioned coming off the turn, Richards took charge of the race on the straight. Running in lane two, the T&T champion looked across to his right three times.

"The plan was basically to run to 150, and look to see if it was safe. That is what I was doing. I really didn't mean to look at my competition, but I was trying to see where I was to secure my spot."

Richards was safer than he could have imagined, American Kyree King finishing a distant second in 20.41 seconds.

Richards was the fastest man on show in the first round, with the next best clocking coming from heat seven winner Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (20.08) of Great Britain. South Africa's reigning 400m world champion Wayde van Niekerk (20.16) and Jamaican track star Yohan Blake (20.39) were heat winners as well.

Richards' Trinidad and Tobago teammate, Kyle Greaux also cruised into the semi-final round, his 20.48 seconds run earning him second spot in heat five and automatic qualification. Greaux told the Express he wants to improve on his 20.19 personal best at London 2017.

"Maybe 20.0, maybe 19, depends on the weather and stuff like that. I'm feeling confident. Everything is good."

There has been much talk about a 200m showdown between Van Niekerk and Botswana's Isaac Makwala. However, Makwala reportedly had food poisoning and withdrew from the half-lap event, improving Van Niekerk's chances of completing a difficult 200/400 double.

Richards, though, is focusing solely on the 200, and, should they both advance to Thursday's final, would have fresher legs than Van Niekerk.

"I think I could upset Van Niekerk," Richards declared. "I'm just going to go with God. It's an open field, so if I execute the race the way I should, I could come out victorious."

In the second semi-final, at 4.04 tomorrow afternoon (T&T time), Richards will clash with Blake. At 3.55, Greaux squares off against Mitchell-Blake in the opening heat.

Sparkle McKnight secured a lane in today's women's 400m hurdles semis when she finished fourth in her first round heat in 55.46 seconds. The clocking was the second fastest of McKnight's career. She also has a 55.61 run to her name this year.

In a post-race interview with the Express, McKnight pointed to a couple factors that have had a positive impact on her 2017 performances.

"My three-year-old daughter Ashaunte; and I also got more focused. Not that I wasn't serious before, but this year was tunnel vision. I just need to get it right."

McKnight returns to action at 3.35 this afternoon (T&T time), in the first of three semi-final heats.

Kayelle Clarke will be the first T&T athlete to see action at the London Stadium today. At 2.54 p.m., she competes in the fourth women's 200m first round heat. Michelle-Lee Ahye, a 100m finalist on Sunday, will be on the track at 3.02 in heat five. And at 3.18, Semoy Hackett runs in heat seven.

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