Jereem “The Dream” Richards comfortably advanced to the semifinals in the men’s 200 metres dash when the World Athletics Track and Field Championships continued in Eugene, Oregon, USA, on Monday night.

An excellent run by the reigning World Indoor 400m champion out of lane three in heat two of seven, saw him ease across the line in a time of 20.35 seconds to reach Tuesday’s semifinals.

Richards, who was 17th-fastest among the qualifiers, came off the curve in front and sprinted away to victory, slowing some metres out from the line ahead of Canada’s Aaron Brown, whose starting block skid and he slipped when the gun went off, forcing officials to stop and restart the second heat. When it did finally, the Canadian got out well and managed to finish second in 20.60 ahead of Japan’s Shota Ilzuka with 20.72.

Eric Harrison Jr also faced the starter in the half-lap event but did not advance. Running in lane eight, the T&T sprinter placed fifth with 20.54 in the final heat which was won by defending champion, birthday boy and fastest qualifier American Noah Lyles with 19.98. The American, with some 60m left, motioned for his fellow runners to come to catch him. The closest to him and fellow automatic qualifiers were second-placed Jamaica Rasheed Dwyer with a season’s best 20.29 and third-placed China’s Zhenye Xie (20.30).

Germany’s Owen Ansah finished fourth with 20.52 ahead of Harrison Jr, who was 25th overall. The first three finishers automatically qualify for the next round along with the next fastest three.

The top finishers in the remaining heats were: Joseph Fahnbulleh of Liberia in heat one with 20.12, second-fastest qualifiers American Erriyon Knighton (20.01) in heat three along with Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando ran a national record of 20.01, to win heat four. Reigning World 100m world champion USA’s Fred Kerley topped heat five with a 20.17-clocking while Filipo Tortu of Italy won heat six (20.18).

Olympic 200m champion Canadian Andre De Grasse, was scheduled to compete in the penultimate heat but did not start.

Richards will run in semifinal heat two against USA pair Lyles and Kenneth Bednarek, Uganda’s Tarsis Gracious Orogot, Great Britain’s Joe Ferguson, Luxolo Adams of South Africa, Nigerian Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike and Gabon’s Guy Maganga Gorra.

Two-time Olympic medallist Keshorn Walcott will next be in action for T&T in the men’s javelin event on Thursday.

On Saturday, Tyra Gittens, NCAA champion, leaps into action in the women’s long jump qualification in the early session while the men’s 4x400m relay team which includes Dwight St Hillaire, Richards, Asa Guevara, Shakeem McKay, Kashief King and Jerod Elcock will tackle the heats in the late session. Both finals are set for Sunday.

On Sunday, sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye did not advance to the final of the women’s 100 metres after placing sixth in semifinal heat three.

Running in a tough lane eight, Ahye crossed the line in a time of 11.24 in the heat which was won by the eventual gold medallist Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, won the final heat with 10.93 ahead of American Aleia Hobbs with 10.95 and Daryll Neita of Great Britain (10.97).

Later, Fraser-Pryce defended her world title, winning the feature event on day three with a championship record time of 10.67 to lead in Jamaica’s sweep of the top three spots. Shericka Jackson ran a personal best of 10.73 to cop silver while double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah was the bronze medallist with 10.81.

Ahye had advanced from the preliminary heats as an automatic qualifier following her second-place finish in heat two with an 11.18-clocking behind Hobbs (11.04) and ahead of Bahrain’s Edidiong Ofinome Odiong (11.28).

Earlier Sunday, T&T quartermiler Dwight St Hillaire did not progress to the semifinal round in the men’s 400m after crossing sixth in heat four of six. Running in lane five, he clocked 46.60 to finish 33rd overall.

On day two of the Eugene22, shot putter Portious Warren and sprinter Elcock made early exits from their respective events

Warren was 12th best out of 15 competitors with a best throw of 16.65 metres in Group B of the women’s shot put.

Elcock finished sixth in heat two of six in 10.22 in the men’s 100m, well behind eventual gold medallist American Fred Kerley (9.79) followed by Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes (9.97) and Liberian Emmanuel Matadi (9.99) in third.

Kerley sprinted to victory in the 100m medal race in 9.86 to lead in a sweep by the Americans of the top three spots. He beat Marvin Bracy (9.88) who was the silver medallist and bronze medallist Trayvon Bromell (9.88), by less than 0.02 seconds. The difference between second and third was 0.002.