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Frankie gatecrashes 200m party
Athens - Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin moved to within a race of becoming the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to achieve the Olympic sprint double here on Wednesday when he reached the final of the 200m.
The 22-year-old American won the second of the semi-finals, his stablemate Shawn Crawford winning the first one, to book his date with athletics history on Thursday.
However, there will be one last blast from 36-year-old veteran Frankie Fredericks as Namibia's four-time Olympic silver medallist reached the final in a very comfortable third place in Crawford's semi-final.
"It's great to be in the Olympic final again," said Fredericks, who last reached it in 1996 for his second silver medal.
"I've got one more chance and I'll give it my all, I think I have one more fast race in me."
Fredericks made it clear once and for all that whatever happened in the final that would be that for his career.
"This is it for me. I want a gold medal," said Fredericks, who four years ago looked to have ended his final chance of ever landing an Olympic title when he tearfully pulled out of the Games because of injury.
The major casualty of the semis was Britain's 2000 Olympic silver medallist Darren Campbell, who confirmed the poor form he was in entering the Olympics by finishing last in the semi won by Crawford.
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