Olympics: Spearmon advances to 200m semis
Wallace Spearmon, the former Fayetteville Purple’Dog and Arkansas Razorback, has advanced to the 200 meter semifinals at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Spearmon won his first heat in the prelims and then placed second in his heat in the quarterfinals earlier today. Spearmon ran a 20.39 in his quarterfinal run.
Here’s the man in his own words, courtesy of UA Athletic Media Relations:
“I went out there trying to get top two,” Spearmon said, after his second race of the day. “I pushed it kind of close. I accomplished my job and I get to run tomorrow. Top two is favored and that is the main focus because you get inside lanes (for the next rounds).”
In the semifinal Tuesday, Spearmon will run in lane 7, next to the fastest man in the world (in the 100 meters), Jamaica’s Usain Bolt in lane 6.
Bolt has been amazing in the games this summer. His 100 meter world record performance was breath-taking. He starts turning his speed down with about 12 meters to go in the race and still smoked the field. Check the video out here.
Speamon’s personal best in the 200 meters is 19.65. Bolt’s best was a 19.67, which he ran last month.
So, at least in the semis tomorrow, we’ll get one ex-Razorback vs. Bolt matchup. As you may remember, former track Hog Tyson Gay failed to reach the finals of the 100 meter run after placing fifth in the semis last week.
Also of note: Former UA women’s track and field star, April Steiner-Bennett, finished eighth in the women’s pole vault final today.
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