Allyson Felix (right) runs next to Blessing Okagbare in the 200m semi-final in Moscow yesterday. (Reuters)
AFP/Moscow
American sprint great Allyson Felix moved to within one victory of the all-time record for world titles yesterday as she won her 200 metres semi-final at the World Athletics Championships.
The 27-year-old Olympic champion, who presently shares the record of eight titles with retired compatriots Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson, looked in the sort of condition she needs to be in to win her fourth world title in the event.
However, Felix will have taken note of the form of Jamaica’s 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who looked to be in better shape than she was last year when finishing a well-beaten second in the Olympic final.
Felix did the necessary work on the bend in her semi-final, coming off it with Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare on her shoulder and well clear of the remainder of the field.
Both coasted to the line, Okagbare achieving the rare feat of reaching her third final of the week, the 24-year-old having finished second in the long jump and sixth in the 100m.
Fraser-Pryce also had the race in her pocket coming off the bend and, showing little sign of the pain she felt in her left buttock in the 100m final, finished metres clear of her rivals.
Ukraine’s Mariya Ryemen got the crowd - at least the blocks occupied by young Ukrainians dressed in the national colours of yellow and blue - cheering as she passed Anthonique Strachan to take the second of the two automatic qualifying spots.
Ivory Coast’s 100m silver medallist Murielle Ahoure showed she will be a medal contender again with a powerful performance in her semi-final, the 25-year-old streaking clear to time 22.46sec.
The Nigerian - who trains in the United States with 2011 100m world champion Carmelita Jeter - admitted wear and tear was setting in on her body.
“My legs aren’t feeling as fresh obviously as they were the first day of competition,” said Okagabare.
“As regards what I can do in this event? Well, I take each round as it comes, otherwise it is too much for my brain.”
Russia look to have a strong hand in the women’s 800m as all four of their powerful team qualified for today’s semi-finals.
Their leading hope defending champion Mariya Savinova, bidding for a sixth successive major title, finished third in her heat which was the fastest of the lot, and was won by American Brenda Martinez.
Savinova, who won Olympic gold last year, had to push herself a bit to ensure she finished in the first three - the automatic qualifying spots for the semi-finals - in the sprint finish and she edged out Kenyan Winny Chebet.
Chebet was to go through as one of the fastest losers.
Another American Alysia Johnson Montano won her heat as well impressively.
The 27-year-old - who sported a bright red flower in her hair, a habit she adopted when as a youngster she trained with boys and wanted to retain her femininity - is seeking to secure a medal here after finishing fourth and fifth in the 2011 world final and Olympics, respectively.
Russian Marina Pospelova took second and her two compatriots Ekaterina Poistogova and Elena Kotulskaya also went on to finish second in their heats and keep alive the hopes of the home crowd of a medals cleansweep.
The hosts will also be looking to the women’s high jump as a gold medal target. All three of their contenders qualified for the final including poster girl and defending champion Anna Chicherova.
However, Chicherova’s predecessor as Russia’s number one the 2004 Olympic champion Yelena Slesarenko found the return to top level competition - after having a baby last year - beyond her.
The 31-year-old - who took the event up after failing as a ballet dancer - could only jump a best of 1.83 metres, way short of the qualifying mark of 1.92m.