Doha, Qatar — National champion Demish Gaye along with Akeem Bloomfield advanced to the final of the men’s 400m set for Friday here at the 17th edition of the IAAF World Athletics Championships at Khalifa International Stadium.

Gaye continued his gradual improvement throughout the year and ran his seasonal best of 44.66 seconds to finish third in semi-final two and qualified as one of the two fastest losers.

The Jamaican was drawn in lane seven, with the winner, the lanky Steven Gardiner of The Bahamas in lane six, and 2012 Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada, who finished second, in lane five.

Gardiner, who has emerged as the favourite with two effortless races in his heats and again in the semis, stopped the clock at 44.13 seconds for his season’s best and also the fastest time into the final.

James stayed with Gardiner for the most part but was not as relaxed and he claimed second also in a season’s best of 44.23 seconds. Gaye, though outpaced, finished well for a clear third and into his second consecutive final.

“Pretty decent time and I am happy to be in the final. The approach was to get out hard and put myself in a position and try to finish strong,” noted Gaye.

The Sprintec Track Club flagbearer said he was satisfied with his time, although he had planned to go a little faster.

“I expected to go a little faster but I kind of had a groin problem in the heat, so I am really happy with the time and I am glad I am in the final. I will just go out there and run hard [in the final],” said Gaye.

In the third semi-final, Bloomfield clocked 44.77 seconds and finished third and was the eighth and last qualifier into the final. Machel Cedino of Trinidad and Tobago won impressively in 44.41 seconds ahead Anthony Zambrano of Colombia in 44.55 seconds. Hot favourite Michael Norman literally jogged home in 45.94.

Bloomfield, who came into the championship as a possible medallist for Jamaica, will be running in his first senior final at a major championship.

“It is a pretty good feeling making my first world championships final; the first time making the senior team, so it’s very good. With the semi-final behind me now I am just looking towards the final,” Bloomfield asserted.

“I feel OK, I made the final so I will be giving what’s left in the final and I am looking forward to that right now,” he added.

Bloomfield has been drawn in lane two with his countryman Demish Gaye just in front in lane three. Gardiner is in lane four and will have sight of Fred Kerley in lane five. The dangerous Cedenio lines up in lane six with Kirani James in line seven and Anthony Zambrano in lane eight. Kenya’s Emmanuel Korir is drawn on the outside in lane nine for what is expected to be an epic 400m final.

— Howard Walker