TOKYO, Japan — Jamaica’s trio of semi-finalists in the men’s 200m at the World Athletics Championships each bring a unique storyline to the track, as they chase places in the medal round against some of the sport’s biggest box office talent.

Leading the Jamaican charge is 21-year-old Bryan Levell, who has rubber-stamped himself as one of the most exciting young half-lap sprinters in the world this season.

Levell has been consistently fast, turning heads with three sub-20 times and smooth, controlled execution that has many tipping him as a genuine medal threat. The former Edwin Allen standout was picture-perfect in his 200m heat at the Japan National Stadium on Wednesday, winning his heat, while almost walking to a 19.84 seconds clocking, which sent a clear statement to the rest of the field ahead of today’s semi-finals.

“It was a controlled run going into the heats, that’s all it was. It wasn’t much, I just wanted to execute a good bend and not do too much on the stretch,” Levell told the Jamaica Observer.

Levell said he isn’t overly concerned about the hype around his name and performances, but explained that while he hasn’t thought about how fast he might run in Tokyo, he is not putting any limits on himself.

“I don’t really think about it, I just run and enjoy myself. I didn’t expect the time, to be honest; I didn’t do much in the home stretch; I was just relaxing,” Levell said.

While Levell carries medal expectations, Christopher Taylor and Adrian Kerr embody resilience and determination.

Taylor, better known as a quarter-miler in the senior ranks, has battled setbacks that threatened to derail his career, specifically a recent ban for an anti-doping rule violation.

His run into the 200m semi-final is a story of persistence, a reminder of the immense talent that once made him Jamaica’s brightest teenage prospect.

Taylor clocked a personal best 20.26 seconds for a third-place finish in his heat — a line-up that was stacked with 200m stars including Noah Lyles, Zharnel Hughes and Andre DeGrasse. Yet, despite running only his 11th 200m race since 2022, Taylor managed to run his way into the semis in an automatic qualifying spot.

“I was elated. That was the plan to come out here today, run a personal best to get to the next round and then I go from there, and that’s what I am doing,” Taylor said.

He admitted that he was shocked by the quality of athletes drawn in his heat but shared that Lyles and DeGrasse were very helpful in getting him comfortable ahead of the race.

“When I saw the lane draw it was mind-blowing because I had four guys that have been making the 200m finals in the same heat with me. I went in there with the seventh-fastest time, so I knew I had to dig deep, like I always do at a championship, and I did that and came out with a big Q and now I’m just looking forward to the next round,” he said.

“They were saying welcome to the 200m. I was a bit nervous; they could see it and they were talking to me in the call room telling me to just relax. Noah was telling me to drop the shoulders, keep the head up and take deep breaths so when they saw that I qualified they were saying welcome to the 200m and all the best for the next round.”

Kerr, meanwhile, is competing at his first major championship after a series of struggles to break through at the senior level. Like Taylor, getting to the final would be seen as a bit of a surprise for Kerr, who has also had to overcome setbacks including injuries after a promising junior career.

“The first step is always the hardest, as long as I took the first step and didn’t shy away and make any mistakes, I can feel good about it and it is a great feeling,” Kerr said after his third-place finish and 20.13 seconds clocking.

That Jamaican will line up against a strong international cast headlined by defending champion Lyles of the United States.

Lyles, who has dominated the 200m globally since 2019, remains the man to beat, combining championship experience with electric finishing speed. His compatriot Kenny Bednarek, the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist, is another proven performer with consistency and big-stage pedigree. Add Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo — the precocious world under-20 record holder who has already challenged the established order — and the semi-finals are shaping up as a heavyweight battle.

For Jamaica, the semi-finals will test both pedigree and promise. Levell has the form to stand toe-to-toe with the best, Taylor and Kerr have the hunger of men with something to prove, and all three will know that a spot in the final means opportunity, no matter the opposition.

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Christopher Taylor completes heat four in 20.26 seconds for third.Photo: Garfield Robinson

Adrian Kerr finishes third in his heat in 20.13 seconds.Photo: Garfield Robinson