Dina Asher-Smith showed no signs of fatigue from winning 100m silver as she ran the fastest time of the day to reach the 200m semi-finals at the World Championships.
The 23-year-old Briton, who claimed her first major global medal on Monday, won her heat in 22.32 seconds.
Compatriots Jodie Williams and Beth Dobbin also reached Tuesday’s semis.
In the men’s 200m, Britain’s Adam Gemili booked a place in the final but Zharnel Hughes missed out.
Olympic champion Elaine Thompson advanced in the women’s event, but former bronze medallist Blessing Okagbare was disqualified.
That disqualification, plus the withdrawal of 100m bronze medallist Marie-Josee Ta Lou, has boosted Asher-Smith’s hopes in an event that was already without Dutch defending champion Dafne Schippers and 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica.
Asher-Smith is ranked number one in this event this season and is the odds-on favourite to win her first global outdoor title.
It will take a special performance from her remaining rivals to take the gold away from Asher-Smith.
The Briton is now the only athlete still standing from the top four at London 2017, with Bahamian bronze medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo electing to run in the 400m at these championships.
Of those left, only Thompson has run faster than Asher-Smith this season. However, she came a disappointing fourth in the 100m final and was only seventh fastest in the 200m heats.
Britain’s Sydney 2000 Olympic heptathlon champion Denise Lewis and former world and Olympic 200m and 400m champion Michael Johnson both believe it is Asher-Smith’s title to lose.
“I just don’t think there is anyone in the 200m field that can live with Dina right now,” Lewis told BBC Sport.
“She doesn’t want to think about the 100m. She has moved on. It’s all about the recovery now.
“She has had to come out here again and produce. Women don’t take chances; there was no showboating.”
Johnson added: “What we can take from this is that Dina is the favourite with all the others dropping out.
“Thompson doesn’t look at herself and you have to start looking at the race behind Dina.”
Gemili suggested he could be a medal contender as he stormed into Tuesday’s men’s 200m final with another season’s best.
No British male has won a medal in this event since John Regis took silver in 1993, but the 25-year-old’s winning time of 20.03 seconds, an improvement on 20.06 in his heat, proves he is in peak condition having struggled with hamstring problems in recent seasons.
British world 100m finalist Hughes finished third in his semi-final in 20.30, which was not good enough for one of the two fastest losers’ spots.
Miguel Francis, the fastest Briton in the field this season, had to withdraw from his race having sustained a hamstring problem in Sunday’s heat.
There was no doubt as to who remains the favourite, with American Noah Lyles winning his race in 19.86 seconds. The 22-year-old from Florida produced the fourth-fastest time ever this year when he clocked 19.50 in Lausanne.
Ecuador’s Alex Quinonez was close to his personal best of 19.87, set this year, as he came second to Lyles in 19.95.
Both British entrants in the women’s 400m progressed to Tuesday’s semi-finals. Laviai Nielsen finished third in her heat, while Emily Diamond produced a season’s best of 51.66 seconds to qualify as a fastest loser.
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Source – BBC
