Usain Bolt at IAAF World Championships 2015: Result and Time from Wednesday

Usain Bolt’s dream of a 10th world title is alive and kicking, as the Jamaican sped into the final of the men’s 200 metres on Wednesday at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing. 

Bolt won the last of three semi-finals in a time of 19.95 seconds to book his place in Thursday’s showpiece, shutting down in the final stages to conserve energy in synonymous style. Waiting for him in the final will be America's Justin Gatlin, who was also impressive in his progression, posting a time of 19.87 seconds to assure he qualified with ease.

Here’s a recap of the latest virtuoso performance from the languid Jamaican and a closer look at how things are panning out ahead of the final of one of the championships’ most prestigious events. The final (Thursday, August 27, 1:55 p.m. BST) lineup is as follows, per Eurosport UK:

Bolt Marches Toward 10th World Title

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After revealing he was feeling a little jaded after the heats of the 200 metres, Bolt took a while to get up to full pelt in his semi-final.

The Jamaican was slow out of the blocks and didn’t really move through the gears until transitioning from the bend on to the home straight. Nevertheless, once he got fully into his stride, there was no stopping Bolt, and he still had time to take a look around before jogging across the line in first place.

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DW Sports paid tribute to what was a season’s best time for the Jamaican, which is pretty remarkable considering the style in which he shut down:

"Anything that's needed to win I'll find it," said a bullish Bolt afterward, per the Jamaica Star. "... I am not feeling as tired as yesterday, so I'm confident...I'm not gonna let Gatlin beat me that's for sure."

Although the Jamaican is apparently feeling some effects of the tournament, his nearest rival seems to be getting better and better. That’s after Gatlin coasted to a 19.87 in his semi-final, shutting off just as early as Bolt and running a scintillating bend.

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As noted by FloTrack, it was a pretty slick display from the much maligned American:

Both men will have to keep an eye out for Zharnel Hughes, though. The young Brit, who is being mentored by Bolt, won the other semi-final on the night with a superb showing. Hughes ran 20.14 seconds to qualify, and while he’ll find it tough to trouble the big two, he may well fancy his chances of sneaking a bronze medal.

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A win for Bolt in this event would only serve to enrich his already illustrious legacy. Since finishing in second place in the 200 metres at the Osaka Championships in 2007, Bolt has gone on to dominate this distance, and if he was to win on Thursday in Beijing, it’d be the fourth time he has been crowned world champion in this event; the only men to have won it twice are Michael Johnson and Calvin Smith.

To go two golds clear of those legendary names and win his 10th World Championship gold in total would cement Bolt’s status as the greatest natural sprinter of all time. But in Gatlin, he has a worthy foe, and after a narrow loss in the 100 metres to the Jamaican, he will be smarting in the starting blocks ahead of the final.