By Kang Seung-woo
U.S. sprinters Carmelita Jeter and Allyson Felix head into the women’s 200 meters final Friday as favorites.
Jeter, an unlikely winner in the 100, will try to again triumph in the longer event. Felix saw her ambitious dream of a double gold dashed in the 400 meters, looks to maintain her dominance in the 200.
Jeter, a 31-year-old California native ran a personal best and this year’s second-fastest time of 22.20 seconds, in Monaco in July, placing herself in contention for the gold.
Jeter’s victory over Jamaican sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown in Monday’s 100 meters final is expected to boost her confidence ahead of Friday’s race.
“All the pressure is pretty much over,” the American told the AP.
For Felix, the 200 meters has been her signature event at the biennial world championships.
Since the Helsinki worlds in 2005, the 25-year-old Californian has marked a three-peat in the 200, along with silver medals at the last two Olympics.
However, Felix, whose personal best is 21.81 seconds set in 2007, has struggled to find her rhythm this season. Her season’s best is a modest 22.32 that ranks eighth.
“This is what I love to do,” Felix said after finishing her first round in 22.71 on Thursday.
“I just hope my body allows me to do the best that I can. I feel good, I just wanted to get through these rounds and have something left for the final.”
Campbell-Brown is a threat to the two U.S. athletes. The competition among the three is a further example of the sprint rivalry between team Jamaica and U.S. Campell-Brown finished second to Jeter in the 100 meters, is a two-time defending Olympic champion and holds the world’s fastest record of 21.74 seconds in the distance among active athletes, although her best mark of 2011 is 22.26, the sixth fastest this year.
Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, the biggest disappointment of the championships after his disqualification in the 100 meters final, will embark on his campaign in the 200 to restore his damaged reputation.
The 25-year-old, who claimed gold in 2009 in Berlin, setting a new world record of 19.19 seconds, is expected to show his dominance on the track. There are few rivals to mount a challenge to Bolt and he has never lost a 200 meter race since the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot is looking to retain the women’s 5,000 meters title she won two years ago.
Team Korea, which has failed to provide any impressive performances midway through the meet, has several athletes in action.
Kim Deok-hyeon, who advanced to the final of the men’s long jump Thursday, will compete with 11 others on Friday night. Kim, the Asian Game gold medalist last year, is the first Korean athlete to reach the final round of this event.
Jung Hye-lim and Kang Na-ru will also be competing in the women’s 100-meter hurdles and hammer throw, respectively.