Wariner strolls, Gay has to run in first round

By John Bagratuni Aug 28, 2007, 6:48 GMT

From left - Matic Osovnikar of Slovenia, Mphelave Dlamin of Swaziland, Visa Hongisto of Finland, Tyson Gay of the USA, James Dolphin of New Zealand, Sandro Viana of Brazil and Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles in their 200m first round run at the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan, 28 August 2007. EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT

Osaka, Japan - Jeremy Wariner took a Tuesday morning stroll while Tyson Gay had to do more than expected at the world athletics championships as the two American stars made the next rounds in the 400 and 200 metres, respectively.

Gay clocked the 200m in 20.46 seconds with several opponents on his heels, just 36 hours after capturing the 100m gold.

'I felt pretty sluggish,' he said. 'I didn't want to run that fast, but my competitors gave me a tough run in the first round.'

The world and Olympic champion Wariner had his first race in Osaka and could take the 400m easy after finishing Tuesday at 45.10 seconds.

'I shut down after 250m,' he said. 'I am fine, and the track is fast.'

Expectations are high that Wariner has the ability to attack the world record of 43.18 seconds, held by his agent and mentor Michael Johnson, after he lowered his personal best to 43.5 seconds earlier this month.

Wariner has talked about the record in recent days, but no longer. 'Next question' was his answer Tuesday morning when asked about it.

While the Texan took it easy, others ran fast times in the heats with six men, led by Chris Brown of the Bahamas (44.5), staying below 45 seconds.

The semi-finals are Wednesday and the final on Friday.

The 200m decider is on Thursday after a second round later Tuesday and the semis Wednesday.

Gay was the odd one outside the medals in 2005 when the Americans got a historic 1-2-3-4 finish, but this time he is the top pick.

The 100m gold boosted his confidence, and he boasts the second-best time ever over the distance at 19.62 seconds. Only Johnson was faster in his miraculous world record run at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 with 19.32, a mark that should stay untouched in Osaka.

The 2003 bronze medallist Shingo Suetsugo clocked 20.47 seconds to advance. The flamboyant Suetsugo is one the last medal hopes for the host Japan after the marathon runners, 400m hurdler Dai Tamesui and Olympic hammer throw champion Koji Murofushi didn't make the podium.

In the only other morning event, two-time world champion Yipsi Moreno qualified for the women's hammer throw final, but there was more despair on top of the doping-related absence of world record holder Tatyana Lysenko when title holder Olga Kuzenkova crashed out in qualifying.

Five finals were scheduled for the evening: the men's 400m hurdles, 3,000m steeplechase and discus and the women's long jump and pole vault.