Coventry runner Andy Hart is out of the
Olympics, but Rugby’s Katharine Merry has reached the final of
the 400m.
Dunchurch-born
Katharine Merry secured her place in the final with an easy win
in the second heat and a strong second place in the semi-final.
She won her second round heat by more than
half a second with a time of 50.50s. In the semi-final Jamaica's
Lorraine Graham beat Merry into second place by a mere 0.04s
with a winning time of 50.28 seconds.
Merry, who has suffered from injury and
illness this year, said she would have preferred longer to get
into top shape for the games.
But she said:
“I could have done with a few more
weeks, but the Olympics don’t wait for anyone.”
Merry
will now run in Monday's final alongside fellow Briton Donna
Fraser.
Andy Hart started his bid for success in
the 800m early on Saturday, but failed to get through his heat.
Faced with tough qualification conditions
– only the first two were guaranteed a place in the
semi-final, Hart ran a positive race.
Starting in the outside lane he made sure
he kept track position.
With a strong field around him he tried to
make a break with about 200m to go, but faded towards the end
and finished sixth.
