Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin remain on course for their 200m final rematch as both qualified with minimal fuss from their heats.
Bolt, who has admitted to feeling weary in the aftermath of hisextraordinary 100m victory here in the Bird's Nest, won the third heat in 20.28 seconds, easing off with 40m to go and jogging across the line.
Gatlin - comfortably the fastest man in the world this year over 200m, as he was over 100m - ran a smooth 20.19 as he seeks revenge for his shock defeat on Sunday night.
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Britain's talented 20-year-old Zharnel Hughes, who trains with Bolt in Jamaica, won his heat in 20.13secs while team-mate Danny Talbot is also into Wednesday's semi-finals after a 20.35secs for third in his heat.
Gatlin has run 19.57secs this year while Bolt only raced over the distance once in his injury-hit summer before arriving in Beijing, an unimpressive 20.13secs in New York two months ago.
Under normal circumstances that would make Gatlin, who has served two doping bans, clear favourite to win back the title he first took in Helsinki 10 years ago.
But Bolt does not do normal circumstances, and in the same stadium where he smashed the world record in winning 200m Olympic gold seven years ago, only those blind to history could discount his chances.
Hughes, born in the British overseas territory of Anguilla, formally gained British citizenship in June this year and won the national trials in some style.
And he may yet be in contention for a bronze medal in an event that is relatively open outside of the big two
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