Usain Bolt and beyond: Six of the best from a great day ahead

 

1. Bolt's stroll sets up a date with destiny

The world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, last night cruised to victory in his 200m semi-final after barely having to make any effort at all in the second half of the race. The performance set up the tantalising prospect that he may beat his own 200m world record of 19.19sec set at the Berlin World Championships in 2009.

"It's all about going through as easy as possible – that was the aim, so I'm happy," he said. "I'm ready – this is my favourite event. I'm looking forward to it. I know what I can do. I never doubt myself." "I believe there is a lot more to come from Usain Bolt. I don't think he ran the bend or the home stretch that hard – he was very relaxed," said BBC pundit Michael Johnson.

He will need to fight off a challenge from his Jamaican teammate and training partner, Yohan Blake, who posted a time 0.17 seconds faster than Bolt's 20.18 seconds yesterday, but Bolt was cruising and will be faster tonight.

2. It's wet and wild as swimming goes outdoors

After Britain's disappointing medal haul of just a silver and two bronzes in the Olympic pool, Keri-Anne Payne, 24, will take to the waters of the Serpentine in Hyde Park in a bid to win gold for in the 10km open water swim. The 24-year-old is hotly-tipped for gold but will have to content with elbows and kicks as she battles her way through the crowded field.

3. Can Britain win another track gold?

Team GB's Andrew Osagie will hope to win a medal in the 800m final at 8pm. He qualified second in his heat on Tuesday, with a time of 1:44.74 behind the world record holder and favourite for gold, David Rudisha, of Kenya.

4. Decathlon final for an all-round hero

US athlete Ashton Eaton will aim to win the decathlon final. The hotly-tipped favourite broke the Olympic record for the 100m sprint that had stood for 44 years yesterday with a time of 10.35s.

5. The football season? It's not starting just yet

In women's football, Japan and the US will contest the final for the gold medal at Wembley Stadium at 7.45pm. The bronze medal match will see Canada play France, and kicks off at 1pm at the City of Coventry Stadium.

6. Beach volleyball climax

The men's beach volleyball competition reaches its conclusion at 9pm, where world champions Emanuel Rego and Alison Cerutti of Brazil will face Germany's Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann.

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Caption competition
Caption competition
News in pictures
World news in pictures
Sport blogs

Brits on fire in the wet at Le Mans!

Wow - what a weekend for British Motorcycle racing!

by Luke Wilkins

iBet: Bale and Rooney transfer specials

The dust is barely settling on the Premier League season and the bookies are looking to persuade us ...

by Gareth Purnell

A changing of the guards in English football: From Sir Alex Ferguson to Jose Mourinho

The guard has changed at Old Trafford for the first time in 26 years. Meanwhile, down the road, the ...

by The Sports Lawyer

       

Day In a Page

National archives: Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Newly unearthed papers reveal a shocking extra dimension to the constitutional crisis over monarch’s abdication
Sent down at the Old Bailey: A tour of the world's most famous court

Sent down at the Old Bailey

A tour of the world's most famous court
Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis’s date for his movie premieres isn’t arm candy  – it’s his 87-year-old friend who he saved from homelessness
James Lawton: Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again

James Lawton

Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again
Dylan Hartley: Northampton have spent the season proving all our critics wrong

Dylan Hartley talks tough

Northampton have spent the season proving all our critics wrong
Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

A meeting of global power brokers in a Hertfordshire hotel is exciting conspiracy theorists, but what are they really about?
'The ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system': Microsoft finally unveils its Xbox ONE console

'The ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system'

Microsoft finally unveils its Xbox ONE console
Plenty of Fish dating site founder pulls 'Intimate Encounters' option to ward off sleazy men

Plenty of sleaze

Dating website pulls intimate 'hook-up' section to curb harassment
Inferno author Dan Brown 'honoured' to be invited to join the Freemasons

The Freemasons’ Code

Dan Brown reveals the message that told him door to the lodge is open
Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last

Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last

Nick Buckles survived the Olympics débâcle and a £5bn bid fiasco but a profit warning finally triggered his downfall
How to say ‘I’m a sellout’: Tumblr’s David Karp’s message of reassurance to his staff sounded very familiar

How to say ‘I’m a sellout’

Tumblr’s David Karp’s message of reassurance to his staff sounded very familiar
Why clubs are keen to take a stand

Why clubs are keen to take a stand

There's a real desire around the grounds for safe standing. But will the authorities listen?
In the end the fans decided Tony Pulis had made a pig's ear of the job at Stoke City

In the end the fans decided Tony Pulis had made a pig's ear of the job at Stoke City

Disillusion with a siege mentality and negative playing style made change inevitable
James Lawton: The James Hunt I knew is the subject of a new F1 movie

James Lawton: The James Hunt I knew is the subject of a new F1 movie

British driver was fascinating man whose epic duel with Niki Lauda in 1976 was typical of an era of glamour and glory – but also the ever-present threat of death
Stuart Hogg: Ready to climb his own Everest

Stuart Hogg: Ready to climb his own Everest

Lions' cub, 20, joins long line of players from Scottish borders club Hawick given opportunity to make his mark at highest level