Hession Soars Into Semi-Final

Date Published: 19-Aug-2008

ATHENRY’S Paul Hession soared into the semi-finals of the men’s 200m event in Beijing yesterday, after winning his quarter final in a lightning fast time of 20.32 seconds.

The time was just 0.02 seconds slower than his Irish record and ensured first place ahead of America’s Wallace Spearmon and Norway’s Jaysuma Ndure. It represented a marked improvement on Hession’s impressive performance in the previous day’s heat, when he finished third in 20.59 seconds.

The Galway athlete made a steady start and was in third position as the leaders entered the home straight. He stepped up a gear and swept into the lead ahead of Ndure and Spearmon, who is understood to be struggling with an injury. The winning time was the slowest of the four quarter finals, but it was enough to ensure a place in the semi-final that takes place today at 1.25pm GMT.

Hession will be relieved to have avoided the fastest man on the planet Usain Bolt in the…