The defending champion won his heat to qualify for the two assuring spots in the heat. After running like he was taking a scroll in the park, he switched speed when Anaso Jobodwana unexpectedly caught up to him.
“At the last minute when I started slowing down, I heard South Africa on my inside,” Bolt said. “I didn’t want to lose the race so I picked up the speed again.”
Bolt’s Jamaican teammates Nickel Ashmeade and Warren Weir also made the final. Bolt injured his foot in practice prior to his 100-meter title Sunday. He said a starting block fell on his foot in training.
“It was just a mistake,” he said. “I was in training, and I was moving it and dropped it on my foot.”
If Bolt is victorious in the 200, he will go for the three golds, where he will also run the 4×100 relay.
