Disaster for Kevin Borlée, this Tuesday, in the semi-finals of the 400m. The Brussels resident suddenly cut his effort shortly before the halfway mark. Kevin held his right hamstring and walked off the track. Contraction? Tear ? Very bad news!
“I’m pessimistic for the rest because it’s probably a small tear!” explained Kevin, before leaving the stadium. “I had felt a little discomfort at the back of the knee during the warm-up, but nothing alarming. There, it’s more worrying. That said, the stint can manage without me…”
Engaged in the third and last series, Dylan, his younger brother, was not disconcerted by the situation. In lane, 3, he finished in 2nd place, in 45.67, synonymous with direct qualification for the apotheosis on the lap. In 45.67, Dylan set the 10th time of the three semi-finals, but the important thing was to snatch this famous second qualifying place.
The first verdict of these three 400m semi-finals had fallen a few minutes earlier with Alexander Doom’s 6th place, in 45.77. Starting flat out, as usual, the Belgian champion was still with the best at the start of the home stretch, but he mightn’t resist the return of several opponents. With 45.77, Alexander was eliminated, but nevertheless set the fourth fastest time of his career.