Athens - World champion Felix Sanchez received a huge boost to his hopes of winning Olympic gold as defending champion Angelo Taylor of the United States crashed out of the 400 metres hurdles here on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old clipped the penultimate hurdle and went from second to fourth behind Sanchez, but his time was not good enough to be one of the two fastest losers.
The man he edged out of gold in Sydney in 2000, Saudi Arabia's Hadi Al-Soumaily fared worse finishing fifth in the same heat.
Sanchez said that was exactly what he had hoped for after posting the fastest time of the three semi-finals.
"It was important that I made my mark on the Olympic champion and the silver medallist," said the Dominican Republic 26-year-old, who is unbeaten in 42 races.
"I wanted to get into their minds. There are now two less guys to worry about. I'm going to give a great show in the final. I just hope that I can bring home that gold medal and if I do I will have a party for three days."
Taylor, who had looked to be back to his Olympic winning form after four years of mediocrity, admitted he got it wrong.
"I messed up. I had a place in the final and I messed up," he said.
South Africa's Olympic bronze medallist Llewellyn Herbert was also knocked out finishing fifth in a heat won by Jamaica's Danny McFarlane.
However a warning for Sanchez, who had predicted that one of the Americans would bow out before the final, came from Taylor's team-mate and American champion James Carter.
"I will win," said the 26-year-old, who was fourth behind Taylor in Sydney.
"It doesn't matter what I have left. I have 48 hours to recover. That's plenty of time for me to get back and run another personal best."
McFarlane for his part said that the race was not all about Sanchez.
"It's not just about Felix," said the 32-year-old, who only took the discipline up two years ago.
"Its all about being first and if Felix is there so be it."
Another of the pre-event favourites to bow out was Britain's Chris Rawlinson, who had to be taken away in a wheelchair with strapping round a knee.
"I hit the first hurdle and my knee hurt from that one on," said the 32-year-old, who had moved to Greece especially to train earlier in the year in order to acclimatise.
"I couldn't do anything, I was just too weak."
