Susanthika finishes seventh in semis

Fails to make it to today’s women’s 200m Olympic final:

Dinesh WEERAWANSA reporting from Chaina

Sri Lanka sprint queen Susanthika Jayasinghe ran the last race in her farewell Olympic Games when she finished seventh in the women’s 200m semi finals and failed to qualify for Thursday’s final at the Bird’s Nest National Stadium.

Running in a disadvantageous lane eight in the first women’s 200m semi final today, the 32-year-old veteran woman sprinter could secure only the seventh place in failing to make it to Thursday’s flood-lit final.

As in the first round and in the quarter finals, Jayasinghe was the slowest to get off the blocks with the worst reaction time of 0.245 and was never able to recover from the disappointing start. It was obvious that she was not at her brilliant best by the bend and was placed fifth after the first 100m. Her usual blistering dash at the bend was not there and could not accelerate even thereafter.

Her usual rhythm was not visible at all as the former Olympic medallist’s speed came down drastically in the last 75m. She clocked an unimpressive 22.98 seconds to finish ahead of only Roxana Dias (23.13) - the last to cross the finish line. She was even slower than her quarter final timing of 22.94 registered yesterday.

It was the Jamaican power that was evident right throughout the race as defending Olympic gold medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown (22.19) and her team mate Kerron Stewart (22.29) - the 2008 Rome Golden League champion secured the first and second places respectively.

Had Jayasinghe registered her career best timing of 22.28 (registered in winning women’s 200m bronze at the Sydney 2000 Olympics), she would have secured the second spot to make it to the final. But Jayasinghe was completely off colour and lacked the natural powerful run which is normally associated when in running in her pet event.

Finishing third in the women’s semi final one was American Muna Lee (22.29), followed by the Athens 2004 bronze medallist from Bahamas Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (22.51). Campbell-Brown, Stewart, Lee and Ferguson-McKenzie, who secured the first four slots advanced to the final. Yuliya Chermoshanskaya (Russia - 22.57 - fifth) and Natalia Pygyda (Ukraine - 22.95 - sixth) also went pass Jayasinghe.

“I know I ran badly. But I tried my best to run an all out but I could not get that speed for some reason. As you know, it was not the way I normally take the bend. Even in the last 100m straight dash, I could not make a powerful run,” Jayasinghe said after her semi final exit.

She said an injury she sustained about a month before the Olympics would have slowed down her normal lead up. “I am not just looking for excuses. I ran badly today and lost. However, I feel the injury I came across while training in Los Angeles would have contributed in some way. I know it could not be given as a reason for my failure today. Nevertheless, that injury robbed my valuable training time in the final work outs for the Olympics,” she added.

The celebrated Lankan woman sprinter who won her last major international medal at the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka, said she has no immediate plans to hang her spikes up. “As I have told before, this is my last Olympics but I may run for some more time,” she continued. However, she did not disclose her immediate plans, asking her fans to “wait and see”.

She thanked all Sri Lankans for their good wishes and also paid a tribute to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “I must make a special mention of the President, who has always looked into my well being and progress as an athlete. He facilitated my training in the USA and even called when I was training in Los Angeles to find out how my preparations are.

I am ever grateful to the President as well as my home supporters,” she said. While the Jamaicans dominated in the first women’s 200m semi, it was the Americans who took control of the second ‘semi’ as World Championship double gold medallist Allyson Felix (22.33) and little known Marshevet Hooker (22.50) secured the first two places. The duo, along with third-placed Jamaican Sherone Simpson (22.50) and fourth-placed Cydonie Mothersill from Caymon Islands (22.61) advanced to the final from the second ‘semi’.

Bolt blasts men’s 200m world record

Jamaican sprint merchant Usain Bolt erased American Michael Johnson’s 12-year-old World and Olympic records when he bagged men’s 200m gold medal in 19.30 seconds. Thus, the 22-year-old ‘Trelawny Express’ battered Johnson’s double record feat of 19.30 at Atlanta 1996 Olympics to complete a ‘golden sprint double’.

Bolt is only the second man in history to sweep that elusive 100m and 200m sprint double at the same Olympic Games, after American great Carl Lewis, who first achieved this rare feat at Los Angeles 1984 Games.

Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles took silver with a nation’s best time of 19.82 seconds, holding off bronze medalist Shawn Crawford of the United States at 19.96 seconds.

Jamaicans Melaine Walker set a new Olympic mark in a time of 52.64 seconds to secure women’s 400m hurdles gold. Sheena Tosta (USA) ran 53.70 to claim the silver, ahead of Tasha Danvers of Great Britain who settled for the bronze in 53.84.

Meanwhile, hosts China tightened its grip in the latest medals table with a rich haul of 45 gold medals, 14 silver and 20 bronze medals. The United States still trails by 19 gold medals in remaining in the second slot. The USA has only 26 gold, 27 silver and 28 bronze to their credit.

Great Britain, enjoying their best Olympic harvest since 1908, is placed third with 16 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze medals. Russia has advanced to the fourth place with 13 gold, 14 silver and 18 bronze medals. In the fifth place is Australia with 11 gold medals, 12 silver and 13 bronze, followed by Germany, South Korea, Japan, Italy and Ukraine.

BEIJING, Wednesday.