24 August 2023 , 22:06
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Jamaican champion Andrew Hudson was gifted a place in the 200 metres final of the World Athletics Championship after being involved in a buggy crash that left him with shards of glass in his eye.
Hudson was being taken from the warm-up to the stadium in a golf cart which also contained US superstar Noah Lyles when they were in collision with another electronic vehicle.
The accident forced their heat to be delayed by 20 minutes, at which time Hudson felt he was pressurised to run and, unsurprisingly, failed to qualify.
Jamaica lodged a protest with organisers who responded by awarding him the spare lane for the showpiece. He has been assigned Lane One.
Hudson said: "A bunch of glass went into my right eye. My eye was a blur. The race was a blur.
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"I went back to the medical and the doctor tried to flush it out as best as possible. We are athletes. He asked me if I was going to run or not. It was kind of run or lose my spot. And I’ve worked too hard to be here. That’s why I tried.
Reigning 200m champion Noah Lyles (Getty Images)"I appreciate the athletes waiting agreeing to take the heat later on in the competition. I am on my way to the doctor now.”
Lyles, who won the 100m title on Sunday, qualified fastest in 19.76 seconds and wrote on Instagram: "Survived a crash and still got the fastest time going into the final. Thank you God for watching over me."
The two golf carts collide, leaving Hudson injured (BBC)Britain’s Zharnel Hughes (20.02s) was fifth fastest overall but warned: “I don’t care who’s in the race with me, I’m definitely going to bring my A game."
Daryll Neita ran the fastest 200m of her life to reach the women’s final in 2.21secs, where she will be joined by Dina Asher-Smith (22.17).
“Get some chips and a beer,” she said. “There's a lot to be excited about on Friday.
“Zharnel is in fantastic form and I think we can look forward to great performances from all of us Brits in the finals.”