The rivalry in the women’s 400m commenced on Day 3 of the IAAF World Championships in London with the major contenders in the event securing their slots in Monday’s semifinal race.
World Leader Allyson Felix wasn’t threatened in her heat and looked comfortable as she held sway to return a time of 52.44s, while Greece’s Iríni Vasiliou (52.61s) and Ashley Kelly (52.70s) also advanced to the semis as automatic qualifiers in the heat.
Felix’s main rival Shaunae Miller-Uibo was the woman to beat in Heat 2 where she powered to victory in 50.97s to hold off Jamaica’s Stephenie Ann McPherson (51.27s) and Nigeria’s Yinka Ajayi (51.58s).
African Champion Kabange Mupopo looked pretty good running from the inside as she upstaged Beijing 2015 and Rio 2016 Bronze medallist Shericka Jackson (51.26s), clocking a Season’s Best (SB) of 51.09s to win Heat 3.
The overall fastest time of the day was set by Nigerian-born Bahraini athlete Salwa Eid Naser who stormed to a National Record (NR) of 50.57s, erasing the former NR of 50.72s, ironically set by another Nigerian-born Bahraini athlete Kemi Adekoya at the Rio Olympics last year.
The 2015 World Youth Champion stunned the more experienced duo of Phyllis Francis (50.94s) and Novlene Williams-Mills (51.00s) to cross the finish line first in Heat 4.
World No.2 Quanera Hayes and Nigerian Champion Patience Okon-George were the Top 2 finishers in Heat 5 where they posted 51.43s and 51.83s respectively, with Great Britain’s Zoey Clark joining them in the semis with her time of 51.88s.
Jamaican Chrisann Gordon executed a perfect race to win the final heat of the women’s 400m where she clocked an impressive time of 51.14s to finish ahead of 2011 World Champion Amantle Montsho (51.37s) who is making a return to international action. Nigeria’s Margaret Bamgbose clocked an SB of 51.57s in 3rd place.
Speaking afterwards, defending champion Felix said, “I just controlled the race. I just wanted to feel comfortable to qualify. I feel good, peaking at the right time. London is a great place, awesome atmosphere everyone is so nice. It is all just one step at a time.”
Meanwhile African Games Champion Zambia’s Mupopo revealed that she’s not in the best shape of her life despite dominating her heat.
She said: “I am not in the best shape but I just want to see what I can do at these championships. After getting to the semi-finals already in London, my aim is to get to the final. That is it. No thoughts of medals — nothing. Just the final. Last year, I did not do very well because I was not concentrated. But now I focus on the basics and I am doing it.”
