Wallace Spearmon is one race closer to Olympic redemption after a photo finish in the men's 200m semifinal in London. Spearmon hopes to rewrite his Olympic story which included a lane violation that cost him a medal at the 2008 Beijing Games
Spearmon's semifinal race Wednesday featured Jamaican Yohan Blake, who beat Usain Bolt in the Olympic trials.
Spearmon powered toward the finish as Blake, who had immediately burst to the front of his heat and increased his lead over the course of the race, slowed early. Spearmon and France's Christophe Lemaitre nearly caught him at the finish line.
The top two from each of the three semifinal heats plus the next two fastest move on to the final.
The trio waited on the track for the final announcement of who won, as officials reviewed the photo finish.
The race ended with one one-hundredth of a second separating the top three. Blake finished first (20.01), Spearmon finished second (20.02) and Lamaitre finished third (20.03), all three moved on to the final.
Spearmon said this of Blake slowing up in their heat: "Woulda, coulda, shoulda. He still won. Bet he won't do that tomorrow."
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Bolt, who holds both the world (19.19 seconds) and Olympic record (19.30) in the 200m, pushed himself until the straightaway and then coasted home with a time of 20.18.
Thursday's gold medal final begins at 2:55 p.m. CT. You can watch it online at NBCOlympics.com/LiveExtra
