LONDON, (CMC) – World champion Kirani James of Grenada is the odds-on favourite to win the men’s 400 metres at the London Olympics after cruising into the semi-finals but watching as his main threat American LaShawn Merritt pulled up in the opening qualifying round here yesterday. Running in in heat two, the 19-year-old James entered the straightaway in second but easily surged ahead to take the heat in 45.23 seconds.
Afterward, James said he tried to expend as little energy as he could, as he was expecting a tough battle in today’s last two rounds.
“I was just trying to conserve as much energy as I can because the semi-final is going to be competitive,” said James, who is in his first Olympics.
“The semi finals are going to be very competitive I can tell you from the heats so far, so I just want to save my energy for the semi finals.”
Ramon Miller, one of three Bahamians to reach the semi-finals, finished second to James in 45.57.
James’s time was ninth fastest overall and he will now line up in the second of three semi-finals.
Merritt, however, suffered a massive disappointment in heat six when he pulled up midway during the contest with a problematic left hamstring.
He entered the London Olympics as the major threat to James’s first ever Olympic bid and his absence now leaves the Grenadian as the huge favourite to win the event.
Meanwhile, Bahamian Demetrius Pinder, who is mourning the loss of his sister, ran 44.92 seconds and along with his teammate Chris Brown, who recorded 45.40 seconds came out on top in heats four and five respectively.
Pinder, who shut down in the homestretch, looked extremely easy in winning his heat as he advanced with the third fastest time of the preliminaries.
The World Indoor silver medallist finished ahead of American Bryshon Nellum who clocked 45.29.
“Everything was a cruise for me. I just got out and got in a comfortable position by 150 metres,” Pinder said.
“Running from lane two, I looked inside and saw guys inside of me and beside, so I knew I was in a comfortable position. I just maintained my composure, believed in God, and He [saw] me through.”
Brown, meanwhile, got some tough competition from American Tony McQuay (45.48), in his preliminary round.
Tabarie Henry of US Virgin Islands (45.43), Jamaica’s Dane Hyatt (45.14), and Trinidad & Tobago’s Lalonde Gordon (45.43) were the other Caribbean qualifiers.
However, there was disappointment for the likes of Jamaicans Jermaine Gonzales (46.21), and Rusheen McDonald (46.67), Trinidad & Tobago’s Deon Lendore (45.81), and Guyanese Winston George (46.86) all of whom failed to advance. Trinidad & Tobago’s Renny Quow did not start.