ATHLETICS-James advances, but Gardiner limps out.

BUDAPEST, Hungary, CMC – Former Olympic and World champion Kirani James of Grenada surged into another men’s 400-meter final. Still, there was a massive disappointment for Olympic champion Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas, who pulled up injured to miss out on qualification on day four of the World Athletics Championship here Tuesday.

The 30-year-old James, World champion in 2011 and Olympic champion a year later in London, finished second in semi-final two in 44.58 seconds, behind Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, who stopped the clock at 44.26.

There was no such good fortune for the 27-year-old Gardiner. However, the former World champion eased off the final turn with a qualification in sight before suddenly pulling up with an apparent leg injury.

Gardiner had won his opening heat on Sunday in a time of 44.65.

Antonio Watson, 21, led Jamaica, winning the opening semi-final in a personal-best 44.13. At the same time, fellow countryman Sean Bailey clinched second spot in semi-final three in 44.94, to also advance.

Trinidadian Jereem Richards (44.76), St Lucian Michael Joseph (45.50), and Jamaican Zandrion Barnes (45.38) all failed to qualify, however.

In the women’s 400m hurdles, Jamaican Rushelle Clayton was the third fastest into the final, clocking a personal best of 53.30 to win the opening semi-final.

She will be joined in Thursday’s final by teammates Andrenette Knight (53.72) and Janieve Russell (53.69) after finishing second and third in the remaining semi-finals.

Commonwealth Games silver medallist Bahamiah Devynne Charlton made a statement in the opening rounds of the women’s sprint hurdles when she set a new national record of 12.44 seconds to finish second in heat three behind American Kendra Harrison in a world-leading 12.24.

Jamaican Danielle Williams was timed at 12.51 in finishing third to advance to the semi-finals.

Another Jamaican, Ackera Nugent, captured heat one in 12.60 and will have fellow countrywoman Megan Tapper with her in the next round, who finished second in heat five in 12.51.