World Athletics Championships: Canadians Brown and Blake in the 200 meter semi-finals

EUGENE, Ore. — Canadian Aaron Brown overcame a glitch on the starting blocks before advancing to the 200m semi-finals at the World Championships.

The 30-year-old Torontonian finished second in his heat in 20.60 seconds.

The start of his wave was delayed as Brown’s starting blocks moved as the Ontarian took his place.

« I felt a little cramp in the back of my thigh when it slipped, » said Brown, eighth in the 100 on Saturday. I ran at about 70 percent of my ability. I just wanted to make sure I did enough to reach the semi-finals.

Also in Tuesday’s semifinals is Jerome Blake of Burnaby, BC, after a third-place finish on Monday (20.30).

The final will be presented on Thursday.

Canadian and Olympic champion Andre De Grasse is not taking part in the event. He’s not fully recovered after contracting COVID-19 about a month ago.

De Grasse was eliminated in the 100 meters semi-finals on Saturday.

The fastest in the 200m on Monday was American Noah Lyles, in 19.98. He is the reigning world champion.

In the high jump, British Columbian Django Lovett earned sixth place.

The Surrey athlete managed 2.27m, as did Cuban Luis Enrique Zayas.

Lovett missed three tries from 2.30 meters.

Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar triumphed for the third time in a row at the Worlds, with 2.37 meters.

The podium was completed by South Korean Woo Sanghyeok (2.35) and Ukrainian Andriy Protsenko (2.33).