Heat 1 | time | 1. Carl Lewis | USA | 20.57s | 2. John Regis | GBR | 20.61s | 3. Cyprian Enweani | CAN | 20.62s | 4. Edgardo Guilbe | PUR | 20.73s | 5. Kenji Yamauchi | JPN | 20.94s | 6. Jimmy Flemming | ISV | 21.23s | 7. Mostefa-Kamel Selmi | ALG | 21.26s | 8. Ousmane Diarra | MLI | 21.46s |
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Heat 2 | time | 1. Bruno Marie-Rose | FRA | 20.48s | 2. Roy Martin | USA | 20.54s | 3. Troy Douglas | BER | 20.70s | 4. Kemnedy Ondiek | KEN | 20.79s | 5. Attila Kovacs | HUN | 21.19s | 6. Shiunn-Long Lee | TPE | 21.34s | 7. Harouna Pale | BUR | 21.35s | -. Pietro Mennea | ITA | DNS |
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Heat 3 | time | 1. Linford Christie | GBR | 20.49s | 2. Atlee Anthony Mahorn | CAN | 20.59s | 3. Raif Lubke | FRG | 20.80s | 4. Luis Barroso | POR | 20.81s | 5. Patrick Stevens | BEL | 20.94s | 6. John Myles-Mills | GHA | 20.95s | 7. Andreas Berger | AUT | 21.40s | 8. Ibrahima Tamba | SEN | 21.93s |
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