Justin Gatlin failed to qualify for the final of the 200m

USAIN Bolt’s quest to win another gold medal in Rio just got a whole lot easier after his main rival shocked the athletics world.

Gatlin’s disappointment was evident.

USAIN Bolt’s quest to win another Olympic gold medal just got a whole lot easier.

He won his semi on Thursday morning (AEST) to book a spot in the 200m final, but his great rival Justin Gatlin didn’t. The American, who Bolt beat for gold in the 100m, appeared to slow down in his semi final, but couldn’t do what the Jamaican does so often — win when you’re not even close to sixth gear.

Gatlin finished third with a time of 20.13 seconds — too slow to be part of the final eight. It left onlookers stunned.

Channel 7 commentator and Olympic gold medal pole vaulter Steve Hooker couldn’t believe it when he saw Gatlin pull up early.

“You can’t do that,” Hooker said.

Speaking after the race, the American said he couldn’t warm up properly because of issues with his ankle.

“At the end of the day I had some ankle issues warning up and I couldn’t really warm up like I needed to,” said Gatlin. “Coming home I felt my ankle.”

When Bolt was told Gatlin hadn’t progressed through to the final, the 29-year-old couldn’t resist taking a dig.

Gatlin’s 200 didn’t go as planned.

“No. Seriously? Everybody is in shock. I don’t know,” he told the BBC.

“You can tell from the 100m that he’s getting old.”

Silver medallist in the 100m and 200m at the London Olympics four years ago Yohan Blake also missed out on qualifying for the final. The Jamaican ran a disappointing 20.37 to finish sixth in the same semi as Gatlin.

Bolt was pushed in his semi-final by Canadian Andre de Grasse, who finished 0.02 seconds behind him in second. Bolt looked to ease off the gas well before the finish line — as he often does — but much to his surprise, had to get the lead out again when de Grasse kept on accelerating.

Just as his photo in the semi of the 100m went viral after he turned sideways with a giant grin on his face, Bolt was flashing the pearly whites again when he looked to his right, surprised to see de Grasse right next to him.

“(De Grasse) was supposed to slow down. I said, ‘What are you doing? It’s a semi-final,’” Bolt said.

“I think he wanted to push me. I was a bit lazy but I got round.”

Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition.