Makwala qualifies for 200m, reaches final

LONDON — Isaac Makwala qualified Wednesday for the 200-meter semifinals at the world championships.

The runner from Botswana, who came down with a stomach bug and was forced to miss Wednesday’s 400 final, was belatedly allowed to run his qualifying heat, two days after all his competitors did so. Needing to run 20.53 seconds or faster to advance, Makwala braved the rain and cold at Olympic Stadium and finished in 20.20.

Later, he ran a blistering race from the inside lane to reach the final as the second finisher from his heat behind Isiah Young of the United States. The inside lane is tough in the best of conditions, but it was even more difficult because most of the water from the relentless rain had settled there.

Makwala pumped his right arm as he crossed 20.14 seconds, .02 seconds behind Young.

Phyllis Francis of the United States upset the favorites to win the 400 meters.

Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo looked poised to win gold until she slowed in the final meters. Salwa Eid Naser swept past Allyson Felix in the final meter to lunge at the line

for silver, ahead of the American veteran.

Francis finished in 49.92 seconds, .14 seconds ahead of Naser. Felix took third in 50.08 and Miller-Uibo was fourth.

Karsten Warholm of Norway won the world title in the 400-meter hurdles, holding off Yasmani Copello of Turkey and Kerron Clement of the United States.

Warholm, 21, earned his first major title, and then looked up in amazement as the result showed on the giant screen.

The Norwegian won in 48.35 seconds, .14 seconds ahead of Copello. Clement, a two-time former champion, finished in 48.52.

Darya Klishina of Russia had the top mark to qualify for Friday’s long jump final.

The chilly conditions were such that no one made the automatic qualifying standard of 22-0 feet. Klishina, competing as a neutral athlete because of Russia’s doping suspension, jumped 21-10½, edging Tianna Bartoletta of the United States by 2 centimeters.

European champion Ivana Spanovic of Serbia was also through, as was this year’s world leader, Brittney Reese of the United States.

Makwala