• World Athletics Championships

Idowu and Bolt breeze onto next stage

Usain Bolt cruises around the top bend © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: 'No chance' of changing false start rule - Diack
  
• News: England claims brilliant silver
  
• News: Greene powers to 400m hurdles gold
  
• Profile: Usain Bolt | Phillips Idowu

Defending champion Phillips Idowu had no difficulty in qualifying for the final of the triple jump on Friday, as Usain Bolt bounced back from 100m disappointment to breeze into the semi-finals of the 200m.

Idowu, favourite to take gold at the World Championships once again after injury struck France's Teddy Tamgho, recorded a distance of 17.17 metres with his very first jump - seven centimetres further than the mark required to automatically qualify for Sunday's final.

"It was easy and I feel good," Idowu said. "Qualifying hasn't often been a problem for me so it's just a case of going out there, putting a solid runway together, putting a solid jump together and it was enough to qualify.

"(Now) I've got to go out there and put a good jump in in the final which is enough to win. You can only defeat who is here. There are going to be a bunch of guys competing in the final so I can't take anything lightly."

Bolt had a similar relaxed morning - winning his heat in a time of 20.30s, after again slowing down while still a long way from the line - as Team GB's Christian Malcolm sneaked through to the semis with him after coming fourth in 20.66s.

"I just didn't run well this morning and I'm very disappointed," Malcolm said. "I'm not going to make excuses, there are always little things you can put your finger on in cases like this but I didn't perform."

However, team-mate James Ellington failed to advance after finishing in the same position in his heat. The semi-finals of the 200m take place later on Friday.

Elsewhere, Tiffany Porter advanced to the semi-finals of the women's 100m hurdles after winning her heat in 12.84s, while the women's 4x400m relay team also breezed into the final after qualifying third fastest.

Christine Ohuruogu ran the lead-off leg for the women, despite being disqualified for a false start in her individual event, and said she felt no nerves when waiting for the gun again.

"That was good, it was nice to run!" Ohuruogu said. "It's about trying to come together and work for the team because we definitely know we can win a medal here.

"It was my coach's decision [to run the first leg], I'm pretty comfortable running first. I was the freshest pair of legs so just get me out, see how I run because I haven't run yet. It was probably the safest place to put me."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.