Aug. 18, 2009

BERLIN – University of Kentucky sprinter Rondel Sorrillo advanced to the semifinals of the 200 meter dash Tuesday after running a quarterfinal time of 20.58 at the International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Berlin, Germany.

Representing Trinidad and Tobago, Sorrillo will take the starting blocks in the 200m dash semifinals tomorrow at 3:25 p.m. ET. Should the Wildcat advance, he would race in the event final scheduled for Thursday.

Sorrillo ran in the fastest 200m quarterfinal heat with five sprinters advancing to the semis; paced by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt who crossed the line in 20.41. Sorrillo finished fifth in the heat, two spots outside of the three automatic qualifiers, but qualified as the second-best at-large time across the four quarterfinals.

Earlier in the day Sorrillo finished second to Bolt in his preliminary heat to automatically advance to the quarterfinals. He clocked in at 20.74, just a fraction behind Bolt who finished at 20.70 in the first round.

The rising senior boasts a personal-best 200m time of 20.43. Last season, Sorrillo set both the indoor and outdoor 200m dash varsity records at UK and earned All-America honors in both events. In the summer of 2008, Sorrillo won his 200m first-round heat while representing his homeland at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Fellow Wildcat teammate Jenna Martin will represent Canada in the women’s 4x400m relay this weekend. A rising junior, Martin and her teammates begin competition next Saturday with the preliminary heats. Should the Canadian team advance, she would carry the baton in the final the following day. Martin holds both the indoor and outdoor 400m dash varsity records at Kentucky and was named to the indoor All-America team in 2008.

Stay tuned to UKathletics.com for further track and field updates.