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Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres

Men's 200 metres
at the Games of the XXIX Olympiad
Usain Bolt and Shawn Crawford in the closing stages of the final
VenueBeijing National Stadium
DatesAugust 18
August 20 (final)
Competitors63 from 53 nations
Winning time19.30 WR
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Usain Bolt
 Jamaica
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Shawn Crawford
 United States
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Walter Dix
 United States
← 2004
2012 →
Official video @ YouTube

The men's 200 metres at the 2008 Summer Olympics took place on 18–20 August at the Beijing National Stadium.[1] There were 63 competitors from 53 nations.[2] Jamaican Usain Bolt set a new world record of 19.30 seconds in the final, and won by the largest margin of victory (0.66 seconds, after two disqualifications) in an Olympic 200 metres final (previously, Walter Tewksbury had a 0.6 seconds margin of victory in the first Olympic 200 m final in 1900). It was Jamaica's first victory in the event since 1976 and second overall, matching Canada and Italy for second-most (after the United States' 17 wins). The apparent silver and bronze medalists, Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles and Wallace Spearmon of the United States, were both disqualified. Those medals went to Americans Shawn Crawford and Walter Dix, who had been fourth and fifth across the finish line; Crawford gave his silver medal to Martina afterward.[2] Crawford was the 10th man to win two medals in the 200 metres, and the third for whom those medals were gold and silver; nobody had yet won two gold medals.

Background

This was the 25th appearance of the event, which was not held at the first Olympics in 1896 but has been on the program ever since. Two of the eight finalists from the 2004 Games returned: gold medalist Shawn Crawford of the United States and sixth-place finisher Stéphane Buckland of Mauritius. 2005 World Champion Justin Gatlin was serving a doping suspension; 2007 World Champion Tyson Gay had suffered a hamstring injury at the U.S. trials and did not make the team. Without those top Americans, the heavy favorite was Usain Bolt of Jamaica. Bolt had competed in 2004 but had struggled through injury and did not make the quarterfinals; in 2008, he was healthy and, by the time of the 200 metres, had already set a world record in the 100 metres in Beijing.[2]

Ecuador, Jordan, Malta, and Uzbekistan each made their debut in the event. The United States made its 24th appearance, most of any nation, having missed only the boycotted 1980 Games.

Summary

Bolt won by over half a second, even before a pair of disqualifications, breaking the world record in the event. Controversy arose within minutes after the medal race when American Wallace Spearmon, who had finished third in 19.95 seconds, was disqualified for stepping out of his lane. United States officials filed a protest, but withdrew it after seeing the video and noticing that silver medalist Churandy Martina (19.82 seconds), who had won the second ever Olympic medal for the Netherlands Antilles, also stepped out of his lane. They filed an appeal, which after more than an hour of deliberation was accepted.[3] [4] On March 6, 2009, the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected an appeal by the National Olympic Committee of the Netherlands Antilles against Martina's disqualification.[5] American Shawn Crawford, who had been awarded the silver medal, reportedly gave his medal to Martina on August 28, 2008[6] in a show of sportsmanship.[7]

Qualification

Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) was able to enter up to three entrants providing they had met the A qualifying standard (20.59) in the qualifying period (1 January 2007 to 23 July 2008). NOCs were also permitted to enter one athlete providing he had met the B standard (20.75) in the same qualifying period.[8]

The qualifying standards were 20.59 seconds (A standard) and 20.75 seconds (B standard).[9]

Competition format

The competition used the four round format introduced in 1920: heats, quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final. The "fastest loser" system introduced in 1960 was used in the heats and quarterfinals.

There were 8 heats of 8 or 9 runners each (the first time that 9 runners were placed in a heat), with the top 3 men in each advancing to the quarterfinals along with the next 8 fastest overall. The quarterfinals consisted of 4 heats of 8 athletes each; the 3 fastest men in each heat and the next 4 fastest overall advanced to the semifinals. There were 2 semifinals, each with 8 runners. The top 4 athletes in each semifinal advanced. The final had 8 runners. The races were run on a 400 metre track.[2]

Records

Prior to this competition, the existing world record, Olympic record, and world leading time were as follows:

World record  Michael Johnson (USA) 19.32 s Atlanta, United States 1 August 1996
Olympic record  Michael Johnson (USA) 19.32 s Atlanta, United States 1 August 1996
World Leading  Usain Bolt (JAM) 19.67 s Athens, Greece 13 July 2008 [10]

Usain Bolt set a new world record in the final, running the race in 19.30 seconds.

Schedule

For the second Games, the three-day schedule with semifinals and final on different day was used.

All times are China Standard Time (UTC+8)

Date Time Round
Monday, 18 August 2008 10:05
20:05
Heats
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, 19 August 2008 21:25 Semifinals
Wednesday, 20 August 2008 22:20 Final

Results

All times shown are in seconds.

Heats

The first round was held on 18 August. The first three runners of each heat (Q) plus the next eight overall fastest runners (q) qualified for the quarterfinals.

Heat 1

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 4 Shawn Crawford  United States 0.216 20.61 Q
2 6 Marcin Jędrusiński  Poland 0.199 20.64 Q
3 7 Stephan Buckland  Mauritius 0.229 20.98 Q
4 1 Jiří Vojtík  Czech Republic 0.165 21.05
5 9 Fanuel Kenosi  Botswana 0.211 21.09
6 3 Adam Harris  Guyana 0.163 21.36
7 5 Khalil Al-Hanahneh  Jordan 0.184 21.55 SB
8 2 Solomon Bockarie  Sierra Leone 0.216 22.16

Heat 2

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 3 Brian Dzingai  Zimbabwe 0.172 20.25 Q
2 5 Christian Malcolm  Great Britain 0.178 20.42 Q, SB
3 4 Christopher Williams  Jamaica 0.166 20.53 Q
4 8 Shinji Takahira  Japan 0.175 20.58 q, SB
5 2 Amr Ibrahim Mostafa Seoud  Egypt 0.172 20.75 q
6 9 Thuso Mpuang  South Africa 0.166 20.87 q
7 6 Daniel Grueso  Colombia 0.232 21.15
8 7 Arnaldo Abrantes  Portugal 0.173 21.46

Heat 3

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 8 Marlon Devonish  Great Britain 0.157 20.49 Q, SB
2 5 Kim Collins  Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.175 20.55 Q
3 7 Marvin Anderson  Jamaica 0.175 20.85 Q
4 9 Matic Osovnikar  Slovenia 0.189 20.89 q, SB
5 2 Chris Lloyd  Dominica 0.185 20.90
6 6 Heber Viera  Uruguay 0.210 20.93
7 4 Cristián Reyes  Chile 0.165 21.20
8 3 Franklin Nazareno  Ecuador 0.174 21.26

Heat 4

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 5 Roman Smirnov  Russia 0.166 20.76 Q
2 3 Walter Dix  United States 0.185 20.77 Q
3 9 Rolando Palacios  Honduras 0.202 20.81 Q
4 8 Ángel David Rodríguez  Spain 0.162 20.87 q
5 2 Bruno de Barros  Brazil 0.162 21.15
6 7 Desislav Gunev  Bulgaria 0.178 21.55
7 6 Vyacheslav Muravyev  Kazakhstan 0.206 21.68
8 4 Nicolai Portelli  Malta 0.180 22.31

Heat 5

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 6 Rondel Sorrillo  Trinidad and Tobago 0.193 20.58 Q
2 4 Usain Bolt  Jamaica 0.177 20.64 Q
3 2 Kristof Beyens  Belgium 0.148 20.69 Q
4 9 Marc Schneeberger  Switzerland 0.137 20.86 q
5 7 José Acevedo  Venezuela 0.270 21.06
6 8 Ihor Bodrov  Ukraine 0.172 21.38
7 3 Mohamad Siraj Tamim  Lebanon 0.206 21.80 PB
8 1 Oleg Juravlyov  Uzbekistan 0.145 22.31
9 5 Juan Zeledon  Nicaragua 0.173 23.39

Heat 6

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 3 Wallace Spearmon  United States 0.184 20.46 Q
2 4 Jaysuma Saidy Ndure  Norway 0.161 20.54 Q, SB
3 2 Paul Hession  Ireland 0.190 20.59 Q
4 8 Seth Amoo  Ghana 0.140 20.91
5 7 Ronalds Arājs  Latvia 0.218 21.22
6 5 Jayson Jones  Belize 0.162 21.54
7 6 Nabie Foday Fofanah  Guinea 0.247 21.68
9 Bryan Barnett  Canada 0.164 DNF

Heat 7

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 6 Obinna Metu  Nigeria 0.168 20.62 Q
2 9 Ramil Guliyev  Azerbaijan 0.175 20.78 Q, SB
3 8 Churandy Martina  Netherlands Antilles 0.172 20.78 Q
4 4 Sandro Viana  Brazil 0.159 20.84 q
5 5 Jamial Rolle  Bahamas 0.162 20.93
6 2 Shingo Suetsugu  Japan 0.185 20.93
7 7 Omar Jouma Bilal Al-Salfa  United Arab Emirates 0.184 21.00
3 Alexander Nelson  Great Britain DNS

Heat 8

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 6 Aaron Armstrong  Trinidad and Tobago 0.183 20.57 Q
2 8 Brendan Christian  Antigua and Barbuda 0.164 20.58 Q
3 7 Jared Connaughton  Canada 0.146 20.60 Q
4 9 Visa Hongisto  Finland 0.145 20.62 q, SB
5 3 Marco Cribari  Switzerland 0.171 20.98
6 2 James Dolphin  New Zealand 0.161 20.98
7 5 Zhang Peimeng  China 0.150 21.06 SB
4 Samuel Francis  Qatar DNS

Quarterfinals

The quarterfinals were held on 18 August. First 3 in each heat (Q) and the next 4 fastest (q) advance to the semifinals.

Quarterfinal 1

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 4 Usain Bolt  Jamaica 0.186 20.29 Q
2 7 Shawn Crawford  United States 0.198 20.42 Q
3 6 Kim Collins  Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.233 20.43 Q, SB
4 5 Marlon Devonish  Great Britain 0.146 20.43 q, SB
5 9 Jared Connaughton  Canada 0.151 20.45 q
6 3 Amr Seoud  Egypt 0.151 20.45 NR
7 8 Rolando Palacios  Honduras 0.248 20.87
8 2 Ángel David Rodríguez  Spain 0.172 20.96

Quarterfinal 2

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 4 Brian Dzingai  Zimbabwe 0.182 20.23 Q
2 7 Walter Dix  United States 0.162 20.27 Q
3 8 Christopher Williams  Jamaica 0.159 20.28 Q
4 6 Christian Malcolm  Great Britain 0.188 20.30 q, SB
5 9 Stephan Buckland  Mauritius 0.188 20.37 q, SB
6 5 Roman Smirnov  Russia 0.161 20.62
7 3 Shinji Takahira  Japan 0.185 20.63
8 2 Matic Osovnikar  Slovenia 0.171 20.95

Quarterfinal 3

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 5 Brendan Christian  Antigua and Barbuda 0.166 20.26 Q
2 8 Churandy Martina  Netherlands Antilles 0.155 20.42 Q
3 9 Kristof Beyens  Belgium 0.155 20.50 Q
4 6 Marcin Jędrusiński  Poland 0.199 20.58 =SB
5 4 Aaron Armstrong  Trinidad and Tobago 0.155 20.58
6 7 Obinna Metu  Nigeria 0.195 20.65
7 2 Sandro Viana  Brazil 0.168 21.07
8 3 Marc Schneeberger  Switzerland 0.156 21.48

Quarterfinal 4

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 8 Paul Hession  Ireland 0.190 20.32 Q, SB
2 4 Wallace Spearmon  United States 0.202 20.39 Q
3 6 Jaysuma Saidy Ndure  Norway 0.131 20.45 Q, SB
4 7 Rondel Sorrillo  Trinidad and Tobago 0.164 20.63
5 5 Ramil Guliyev  Azerbaijan 0.174 20.66 NR
6 3 Visa Hongisto  Finland 0.124 20.76
7 2 Thuso Mpuang  South Africa 0.162 21.04
9 Marvin Anderson  Jamaica 0.187 DNF

Semifinals

The semifinals were held on 19 August. First 4 in each heat (Q) advance to the Final.

Semifinal 1

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 7 Churandy Martina  Netherlands Antilles 0.154 20.11 Q, NR
2 6 Brian Dzingai  Zimbabwe 0.184 20.17 Q, =SB
3 4 Walter Dix  United States 0.161 20.19 Q
4 3 Christian Malcolm  Great Britain 0.181 20.25 Q, SB
5 5 Paul Hession  Ireland 0.175 20.38
6 9 Christopher Williams  Jamaica 0.217 20.45
7 2 Jared Connaughton  Canada 0.146 20.58
8 8 Kristof Beyens  Belgium 0.211 20.69

Semifinal 2

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 6 Usain Bolt  Jamaica 0.175 20.09 Q
2 5 Shawn Crawford  United States 0.196 20.12 Q
3 7 Wallace Spearmon  United States 0.196 20.14 Q
4 8 Kim Collins  Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.191 20.25 Q, SB
5 4 Brendan Christian  Antigua and Barbuda 0.135 20.29
6 2 Stephan Buckland  Mauritius 0.141 20.48
7 3 Marlon Devonish  Great Britain 0.258 20.57
9 Jaysuma Saidy Ndure  Norway DNS

Final

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 Usain Bolt  Jamaica 0.182 19.30 WR
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 4 Shawn Crawford  United States 0.210 19.96
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 8 Walter Dix  United States 0.151 19.98
4 6 Brian Dzingai  Zimbabwe 0.185 20.22
5 3 Christian Malcolm  Great Britain 0.212 20.40
6 2 Kim Collins  Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.165 20.59
7 Churandy Martina  Netherlands Antilles 0.144 19.82 DSQ
9 Wallace Spearmon  United States 0.167 19.95 DSQ
Wind: -0.9 m/s

References

  1. ^ "Olympic Athletics Competition Schedule". IAAF. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d "200 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  3. ^ Charean Williams Amid dispute over silver and bronze, Bolt leaves no doubt with world record Archived August 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 20, 2008
  4. ^ Amy Shipley Lightning strikes twice, Washington Post, August 20, 2008
  5. ^ Martina's bid to reclaim silver rejected, ESPN.com, March 6, 2009.
  6. ^ Interview with Martina showing Crawfords letter and metal, see minutes 11 till 13 http://dewandeling.kro.nl/seizoenen/2014-2/afleveringen/11-10-2014 Archived 2014-10-15 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Martina gets silver lining in 200m". 2 December 2008. Archived from the original on 21 October 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2008.
  8. ^ "Entry Standards - The XXIX Olympic Games - Beijing, China - 8/24 August 2008". IAAF. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
  9. ^ "Entry Standards - The XXIX Olympic Games - Beijing, China - 8/24 August 2008". IAAF. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
  10. ^ "Season Top Lists – Senior 2008 – 200 Metres men", World Athletics, 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2024.