Bolt-Gatlin II on after duo top times in 200m semis

The world record holder posted the second fastest time across the three heats behind America’s Justin Gatlin, who he beat in the final of the 100m earlier in the meeting.

In footage posted on social media following Sunday’s sensational 100m final, Foster was seen celebrating Bolt’s win over favourite Gatlin with other BBC commentators.

Bolt won his heat easily in 19.95 seconds, beating out South Africa’s Anaso Jobodwana, who has now run next to The World’s Fastest Man in three straight major championship semifinals.

So far there has never been any question that Bolt is anything other than clean, even though some of his teammates and Jamaican compatriots have been exposed.

Having won his semi-final with room to spare in 20.13sec, adding to the remarkable 20.01sec that he ran in London last month into a headwind, he appreciates that his first global podium is within reach.

Aside from Bolt, middle-distance superstars Genzebe Dibaba and David Rudisha will race the finals of the women’s 1500 and men’s 800m respectively.

The Jamaican superstar’s form appears to be on point as he again eased across the finish line to confirm a potentially explosive final match-up with American Justin Gatlin on Thursday at 7:55 am (Jamaica local time).

Mo Farah stumbled a couple of times on the track Wednesday as he started the second stage of his bid for a long-distance double at the world championships.

“For me, my 200 is my best event”, Bolt said. Two of the best runners at the distance – Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Allyson Felix – are sitting this one out.

Sweat dripping from his beard on a humid evening, Bolt then icily shrugged off the threat of two-time doping offender Gatlin in his favorite event.

On Monday night, he shouted down someone heckling his mother during the 100-meter medals ceremony – a widely retweeted story that has gotten him some good publicity.

Gatlin has become an unpopular sprinter in world track and field, stemming from his comeback from a four-year ban for a positive drug test. I believe Gatlin will go past him at 60m, so he has to do his own race.

“If you’d said I’d run 43.6, I’d say, ‘Yeah, ‘” the American said. “I hope I can put more energy into the final and come out on top”. “I feel confident”, said Gatlin, who has shown signs of irritation at his portrayal as the pantomime villain of athletics since arriving in China.

And Cuba made its first medal a golden one when Denia Caballero won the discus title with her first throw, giving her a rare victory over defending Olympic and world champion Sandra Perkovic. “I’ve learned over the years that I’m a great competitor”, shrugged the six-time Olympic champion.

“Zharnel Hughes could go on to break the British record one day and could get a bronze medal here”.