Usain Bolt runs for his 2nd sprint title at world championships in 200 meters

Bolt to run for 2nd sprint title at worlds

BERLIN — Usain Bolt is so close to his second sprint title at the world championships, he can probably taste the gold between his teeth.

But ahead of the highlight of the night in the 200 meters, Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain and Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia started their chase for their own doubles.

After winning the 10,000 on Monday, Bekele was dominant again and crossed first in his heat of the 5,000.

The Ethiopian great won a long-distance double at the Beijing Olympics and adding two more golds in Berlin would establish him as perhaps Africa’s greatest distance runner.

Running on 2 hours sleep, Kamel followed up victory in the 1,500 late Wednesday with a win and easy qualification for the semifinals in the 800 on Thursday.

“I did not sleep last night because I was very excited,” said the Kenyan-born Bahraini, the son of two-time 800 world champion Billy Konchellah.

Favorites Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia and Abubakere Kaki of Sudan also qualified.

However, Olympic hurdles champion Dayron Robles had a bad day.

The world-record holder, slowed by a hamstring injury the past few weeks, hit the first three hurdles in his semifinal. He cried out in agony, grabbed his leg and slowed to a stop in the middle of the race.

Robles had to be helped off the track, unable to take any pressure on his left leg. That left the final late Thursday wide open.

In the men’s pole vault, another Olympic champion was in trouble.

Steve Hooker made it to Saturday’s final on a bad leg with his only jump, but was unsure whether he could continue.

“I am not sure about my appearance in the final,” Hooker said. “It is just that I am not healthy.”

Defending champion Brad Walker of the United States pulled out of the event before qualifying with a pelvic injury.

Health worries rarely enter the mind of the carefree Bolt.

Another gold by Bolt would give Jamaica a 3-0 lead over the United States in the battle for sprint supremacy. Defending champion Tyson Gay is injured and out of the 200.

The air was hot and muggy in the Olympic Stadium, and Bolt loves the heat. He cut through the swelter of Beijing last year on his way to three Olympic golds and as many world records.

Thursday also has finals in the decathlon and the women’s 400 hurdles and high jump.

A day after winning her first 800 world title amid a gender test controversy, teenager Caster Semenya was unruffled as she accepted the gold medal on the podium. She grinned and sang along with the South African anthem.

Semenya dominated her rivals despite revelations that she was undergoing a gender test as requested by the world track governing body.

“She said to me she doesn’t see what the big deal is all about,” South Africa team manager Phiwe Mlangeni-Tsholetsane said. “She believes it is God given talent and she will exercise it.”