Former UTEP track star Churandy Martina qualifies for 200m Olympic final
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – UTEP great Churandy Martina finished second in the men’s 200m semifinal clocking a time of 20.10 and securing a spot in the final dash at the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday .
The qualifying sprinters will race in the men’s 200m final at 7:30 p.m. MT on Thursday .
Martina of the Netherlands edged USA’s Justin Gatlin by .03 seconds in the third semifinal heat. Alonso Edward (Panama) won the third sprint with a time of 20.07. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt (19.78) literally laughed his way past Andre De Grasse of Canada by .02 seconds, while claiming the top time in the second semifinal. USA’s LaShawn Merritt recorded a time of 19.94 to win the first semifinal.
Martina will make his sprint from lane eight in tomorrow ‘s final. Bolt will be in lane six, while DeGrasse is in lane four. Merritt will race from lane five.
Current UTEP sophomore Tobi Amusan ofNigeria also competed on Wednesday night, coming up short in the women’s 100m hurdles. Amusan clocked a time of 12.91 in the second semifinal to finish third behind Canada’s Phylicia George (12.77).
The last Miners to medal came at the 2008 Olympics when Blessing Okagbare (long jump), Osayomi Oludamola (100m relay) and Halimat Ismaila (100m relay) all claimed bronze medals in Beijing.
