LONDON, CMC – Grenadian Kirani James came one step closer to adding an Olympic gold medal to his World title when he clocked a season-best time to win his semi-final and surge into the final of the men’s 400 metres at the 30th Olympiad here yesterday.
The 19-year-old was timed at 44.59 as he easily brushed aside his field which included veteran Bahamian quarter-miler Chris Brown who was second in a season-best 44.67, to also qualify for Monday’s final.
James, who won his World title last year in Daegu, is favourite to take gold especially after defending Olympic champion and main threat LaShawn Merritt of the United States bowed out in the preliminary round with injury.
He enters the final with the second fastest time overall and will line up in lane five.
Meanwhile, Trinidadian Gordon Lalonde produced a sterling personal best effort to clock to win the first semi-final and clinch a spot in the final as the fastest qualifier.
He crossed the line in 44.58 seconds, pulling with him Bahamian Demetrius Pinder who clocked 44.94 seconds.
Tabarie Henry of the US Virgin Islands won a season-best 45.19 but finished down the field and joined Bahamian Ramon Miller (45.11) and Jamaican Dane Hyatt (45.59) in missing out on the final.