Prandini's Run Ends In Semis

EUGENE, Ore. — Jenna Prandini's bid for a World Athletics Championships medal in the 200 slipped away over the final few meters of her semifinal Tuesday.

In position to qualify for Thursday's final off the curve at Hayward Field, Prandini slipped from second to fourth in the homestretch and didn't advance. She crossed in 22.08 seconds, just off her season best of 22.01.

That time was eighth-fastest among the three semifinal heats. But a runner with a slower time claimed the eighth spot in the final by finishing second in her heat and advancing automatically.

"It was a fast race; I'm disappointed to get fourth," Prandini said following her semifinal, as she awaited results of the other heats.

A two-time NCAA Outdoor champion while competing at Oregon, Prandini was bidding for her second World Championships medal, after helping Team USA win silver in the 4x100 relay at the 2015 championships in Beijing. She also won Olympic silver as a member of the 4x100 team in 2021.

On Tuesday, Prandini came off the curve in second behind Jamaica's Shericka Jackson, who took silver in the 100 on Sunday. Prandini began pumping her arms furiously over the final few meters as two others runners began to gain ground.

Aminatou Seyni, the national record-holder for Niger, ended up second in the heat in 22.04, behind Jackson, who had the top qualifying time across all three heats of 21.67. Prandini also was edged at the line by Mujinga Kambundji, who set the Swiss national record of 22.05 in taking third in the heat, ahead of Prandini by just three one-hundredths of a second.

The top two finishers in each of the three semis qualified automatically, along with the next two fastest women from the three heats. Prandini's fourth-place finish in the opening semi put her on the bubble to advance with two heats remaining, but she was bumped off the bubble by a runner in the second heat.

"Obviously I wanted to get top two," she said. "Had it. But it was a fast race."

With that result, the Oregon track and field program will be represented by two athletes in Thursday's session of the meet, Raevyn Rogers in the 800 and Emmanuel Ihemeje in the triple jump. Wednesday will be the first day of the championships without a competitor with Oregon ties, after Jessica Hull of Australia pulled out of the 5,000 meters following her seventh-place finish in the 1,500 on Monday.