Aaron Evans has qualified for tonight night’s 800 metres final after finishing with the sixth quickest time in yesterday’s heats at the CIBC Athletics Stadium at York University.

The 25-year-old looked well set to place as one of the top-three automatic qualifiers in heat one, but was pipped at the finish line by Ricardo Cunningham of Jamaica.

Evans, who finished in a time of 1min 49.30sec, advances to the final as one of the next two fastest non-qualifiers along with Andres Arroyo of Puerto Rico.

“I was expecting to go a bit faster as I was in a good position with 100 to go,” said Evans, who competes for the Nike Oregon Track Club.

“But I just lost my form a little bit and that caused me to get passed with about ten metres to go.

“I thought I could get a top three, but I’m in and that’s the main thing.”

Shaquille Dill will not be joining Evans in the final after finishing seventh in his second heat in 1:52.25.

Dill beat Evans to claim victory in the 800 at last month’s XL Catlin National Championships at the National Stadium.

But the 21-year-old faded badly on the final straight of heat two yesterday and was fourteenth overall out of 15 runners.

“It was a bad race and I don’t want to talk about it,” Dill said.