Somewhat predictably, Jinson Johnson failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the men's 800m race, finishing fifth from Heat 3. The Kerala sprinter clocked 1:47:27.
Surprising no one, it was the defending gold medallist, Kenyan David Rushida, who finished first in the Heat, while South Africa's Rynardt van Rensburg finished second. Great Britain's Michael Rimmer ended in the third position, also booking a spot in the semis.
Part of a very tough field, which included some of the best in the business, such as Rushida, Johnson was not expected to defy the odds. But he lacked fluency during his run, tripping twice before stumbling through the final stretch. Johnson started in lane 7 and had briefly taken the lead before the marauding Rushida left him behind.
Johnson did recover well to outpace Canada's Anthony Romaniw and Lutimar Paes of Brazil. The top three from each heat qualify for the semis. Johnson is the first Indian to qualify for the event since 1980.