Athletics-Americans Allison, Norman advance to 400m final with record-holder van Niekerk

American Champion Allison produced a remarkable comeback to advance to the 400 metres final at the World Championships, as compatriot Michael Norman stormed to the fastest finish on Wednesday.

World record-holder and twice world champion Wayde van Niekerk appeared to have a comfortable lead heading into the final 100 metres before Barbadian Jonathan Jones surged forward, running shoulder-to-shoulder with the South African. But it was Allison, the second-fastest this year behind Norman, who recovered from about a metre back to sneak across the finish first, with van Niekerk, the Rio Olympic champion, holding on for the second automatic qualification spot.

Trailing Matthew Hudson-Smith off the final turn, Norman accelerated down the final straight, inching past the Briton to win in 44.30 seconds, as Jamaican Christopher Taylor produced a speedy finish to advance as a fast loser. Kirani James of Grenada pulled away from a tight pack down the final straight to win his heat in 44.74, with American Michael Cherry, who finished just off the podium in Tokyo, losing his strength in the final metres and failing to advance.

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