BEIJING — Usain Bolt did a sneak attack on Wallace Spearmon in the bowels of the Bird's Nest at the Beijing Olympics on Tuesday night.
After both ran their way into the men's 200-meter dash finals, they ran after each other in the mixed zone and took turns dousing each other with liquid after the race.
Bolt got the last laugh, dousing Spearmon down the back of his racing top with a sports drink as Spearmon talked about the race, then ran away laughing.
Two days before his 22nd birthday and one day before his shot at a second gold medal at these Olympics, Bolt was loose.
"Wouldn't you be?" Spearmon joked. "If I ran 9.6 shutting it down, I would be, too."
Bolt hasn't worked with that much stealth all year long. He's been the fastest guy around most of the season, with an Olympic gold medal in the 100-meter dash from these Games in one pocket and the three fastest times in the 200 this year in the other.
But the Americans will attempt to wipe that engaging grin off of his face, if only for a moment, in Wednesday's finals.
The U.S. will send all three of its 200-meter dash competitors into Wednesday's final. Shawn Crawford, Spearmon and Walter Dix also advanced.
Tuesday's second semifinal was the glamour heat, with Crawford, Bolt and Spearmon competing.
Bolt (20.09) won easily, slowing down as Crawford appeared to still be going full bore, in what is considered Bolt's stronger event of the two shortest sprints. Bolt even had a nice long look at the clock as he ran the final 20 meters.
Crawford (20.12) also slowed at the end and finished second. Spearmon (20.14), no slouch having won silver and bronze at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships in the event, finished third, running through the tape.
All three U.S. sprinters were under 20 seconds during the U.S. Olympic Trials, and that's what it will take to beat Bolt.
"That was a great showcase of what the final will be like," Spearmon said.
Crawford, 30, did not speak to the media following the race, ignoring several requests while walking the interview gauntlet.
Bolt's and Spearmon's antics felt refreshing and relaxed by comparison.
It's normal to Spearmon, a buddy of Bolt's.
"He's the guy out there who, during warm-ups, he's telling jokes," Spearmon, 23, said. "He's like me that's why we get along."