#BudaQuest | Watson demolishes PB to make 400m final
Published:Tuesday | August 22, 2023 | 2:41 PM
Jamaica’s Antonio Watson produced the race of his life to make the final of the men’s 400 metres at the World Athletics Championships earlier today.
Running in the first heat of the night at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, Watson faced the traditionally blistering first 200 of former Olympic champion South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk, 44.53, and came out smelling like roses to clock 44.13 seconds.
A storming final 60 metres from the United States’ Vernon Norwood, a lifetime best 44.26, relegated van Niekerk to the Q Room and a nervous wait.
The news was not so good for Jamaica’s Zandrion Barnes, whose 45.38 meant he ended sixth from heat two and out of the final places.
Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith won heat two in an area record, 44.26, while Grenada’s Kirani James was second 44.58 to earn an automatic spot in the final.
Norway’s Havard Bentdal Ingvaldsen was quick enough to earn a non-automatic qualification spot.
Despite his belief that he did not run well enough to deserve a place in the final, national champion, Sean Bailey, is also among the top eight quarter milers in the world this year after finishing second in semi-final three.
The heat had a couple of casualties, with Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori and the Bahamas’ Steven Gardiner suffering hamstring injuries.
Gardiner, in particular, who was leading with just over 100 metres to go, crumbled to the fore, paving the way for Bailey, 44.94, to finish second behind the United States’ Quincy Hall, 44.43.
The final of the men’s 400 metres takes place on Thursday at 2:35 p.m.
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