Gemili's remarkable rise continues

Adam Gemili, pictured, takes on Usain Bolt in the men's 200m final on Saturday night
17 August 2013

British teenager Adam Gemili is going for World Championship glory on Saturday night, just 18 months after swapping football for a career in sprinting.

Only 19, the former Dagenham and Redbridge defender will line up in the 200 metres final next to world record holder Usain Bolt in Moscow.

Gemili goes into the race fresh from a remarkable day in which he became only the second Briton ever to break the 20-second barrier.

Having headed to Russia with a personal best of 20.30 secs, he lowered that to 20.17s before producing a 19.98s semi-final sprint - a time quicker than that managed by Bolt on Friday.

"Every athlete comes here to put themselves in a final," Gemili said. "Anything can happen in a final, as we know from previous world champs.

"I am going to go out there and execute. If I go out there and run how I know I can run, then you never know.

"I don't see why I couldn't get a medal but that is not the main aim going in. The aim is just to go out and execute."

Only John Regis has gone faster than the teenager, who could have been lining up at Scunthorpe on Saturday afternoon instead of the 200m final.

On Friday's form, there looks a real chance of Gemili challenging for a medal - but wrestling gold away from Bolt, winner over 200m at the previous two Olympics and World Championships, would take something remarkable.

"I am happy I qualified for the final," the Jamaican said. "I am looking forward to seeing how fast I can go in the final. I want to defend my title.

"I need a good day's rest and I will go the fastest I can go. I'm feeling all right. I just want to get it done pretty much."

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