By Gary Smith, World-Track
BERLIN — It was a World Championships quarter-final with some drama, as for the first time Usain Bolt false started, but then British sprinter Tyrone Edgar made the mistake the second time of asking and was booted out.
But things got back to normal on the third sending off with Bolt strolling to victory in 9.89 seconds — closing off midway through the race. He then said he was ready for something special in tonight’s finals and warns it will not be normal.
"I am ready for the finals," said Bolt afterwards. "The finals won’t be normal. Bolt says it!
"I didn’t see and world record at the start of these championships, but when you see Bolt run 9.89 that easy you will have to think world record," former sprinter Ato Boldon, who know reports for NBC Sports, said.
Daniel Bailey finished second in 9.96sec with American Darvis Patton taking third in a seasonal best of 9.98. Marc Burns left it late, but came home for fourth in 10.01.
The second semis went to American Tyson Gay, who had to dig deep into his reserves to get by Asafa Powell in the closing metres.
In the end, the Gay, the defending champion came through in 9.93, beating Powell, who to his credit, eased down in the last five metres to take second in 9.95.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Richard Thompson, the Olympic silver medallist also went under 10-second for the first time this season to take third in 9.98. Great Britain’s Dwain Chambers was fourth in 10.04.
The line will see six men under 10-seconds from the semis, but more impressively all eight contenders for the gold have gone below the barrier in the career.
