Lythe Pillay 400M World Champs

A disappointed Lythe Pillay lost his opportunity of semi-final progression at the World Athletics Championships over the final 40 meters of his 400m heat.

While Jamaican Antonio Watson and  American Quincy Hall had opened a comfortable lead with Pillay just off their shoulders, he appeared to relax allowing Japan’s Nakajima to slip into third for an automatic qualifier.

Given that Watson’s win of 44.77 made this one of the slowest heats of the morning, Pillay’s time of 45.58 was insufficient to make the fastest-loser qualification.

Coverage proudly brought to by PUMA South Africa, images courtesy 'Getty Images for World Athletics'