Botswana’s Isaac Makwala will run a 200m solo time trial this evening, in a final attempt to qualify for the semi-finals at the World Championships.
The 30-year-old missed the 200m heats on Monday, and the 400m final on Tuesday, after being put on a 48 hour quarantine bar from competition, while officials tried to deal with the norovirus outbreak.
The Bostwanan athlete’s 48 hours bar was officially up today at 2pm (UK time).
The IAAF said in a statement that it received a written request from the Botswanan federation for Isaac Makwala to compete in the 200 metres.
He has now been granted permission to run an individual 200m qualification race at 6:40pm, with the 200m semi-finals at 8:55pm this evening.
To qualify for the semi-finals Makwala will need to run 20.53 or faster.
The statement read: “Given his quarantine period expired at 14:00 hrs today (9 Aug) and following a medical examination which has declared him fit to compete, we have agreed under our existing rules that assuming he makes the qualification time, he will run in the 200m semi-final round this evening.
“Makwala is required to run a time of 20.53 or faster to advance to the semi-finals. He will run at 18:40hrs this evening on his own in lane 7, which was his original lane draw in the opening round.
“No athletes already qualified for the semi-final will be adversely affected.”
Up to 30 athletes and support staff have been affected by the vomiting bug outbreak, including Ireland’s Thomas Barr, who was forced to withdraw from the 400m semi-finals on Monday.