ISTANBUL - Defending champion Dwain Chambers of Britain and American Justin Gatlin both advanced to the men's 60m final at the World Indoor Championships here on Saturday.
Gatlin, the 2004 Athens Olympic 100m champion who served a four-year ban for doping, looked in imperious form when winning his semi-final in 6.50sec, the joint fifth fastest time of the season.
"I came here to set a statement for the rest of the year," said Gatlin. "I want to break the world record. The track is great and the crowd is awesome."
Chambers, who also served a two-year ban for doping, eased up at the line and was pipped by Jamaican Nesta Carter (6.56), a key part of his country's world and Olympic gold-medal winning 4x100m relay squads, in his semi.
Gatlin's team-mate Trell Kimmons, the fastest man in the world this year with a best of 6.45sec, won his semi in 6.61sec, with Trinidad's three-time world relay silver medallist Marc Burns also progressing.
The final line-up will be completed by Morocco's Aziz Ouhadi, who set a national record of 6.68sec behind Gatlin, Canadian Justyn Warner and Frenchman Emmanuel Biron.