Berlin - Looking for his second gold medal of the track and field world championships, Usain Bolt easily advanced to the second round of the 200 metres Tuesday.

Two days after setting a world record of 9.58 seconds to win the 100, Bolt was sleepy coming into the stadium and still set the early morning alight by winning his heat, even though his 20.70 was 1.40 off his world record.

"All right,'' was all the biggest star of the championships said of his performance.

Bolt was as short on words as on antics. Even his playacting was subdued, putting both hands to his cheeks and pushing his head into them to show how sleepy he was.

In the absence of injured American and defending champion Tyson Gay, Bolt is the overwhelming favourite for gold. British sprinter Dwain Chambers also pulled out of the event due to an injury after finishing sixth in the 100 final.

Shawn Crawford, the 2004 Olympic champion, had the top qualifying time of 20.60 during a session slowed by chilly temperatures under an overcast sky at the Olympic Stadium. Steve Mullings of Jamaica was second in 20.62.

"I did what I was supposed to do,'' Crawford said. "I tried to get as many cobwebs out as I could.''

Canadians Sam Effah of Calgary, Jared Connaughton of New Haven, P.E.I., and Gavin Smellie of Toronto all qualified for the second round. Connaughton won his heat in 20.82.

The final for the 200 is set for Thursday. Bolt is also favoured to lead Jamaica to a sprint relay gold on Saturday to equal his feat of three golds at the Beijing Olympics.

Qualifying presented no surprises early Tuesday.

Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt and defending champion Jeremy Wariner easily qualified for Wednesday's semifinals in the 400.

In the high jump, local favourite Ariane Friedrich scaled 1.95 metres in her only jump to make Thursday's final, along with defending champion Blanka Vlasic of Croatia. Yelena Slesarenko of Russia, the 2004 Olympic champion, twice faced elimination but jumped 1.92 and 1.95.

In the discus, overpowering Olympic and defending world champion Gerd Kanter qualified on his first throw with a toss of 66.73 metres, easily beating the qualifying mark of 64.50.

"A very easy throw, controlled and enough to qualify and save my energy for the final,'' Kanter said.

Late Tuesday, there are finals in men's triple jump, steeplechase and 400 hurdles, and the women's javelin and 400. The women's 100-metre hurdle heats are also scheduled with Canadian medal hopefuls Perdita Felicien and Priscilla Lopes-Schliep both entered.

With files from The Canadian Press