Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic goes into the semi-finals as the fastest competitor as there were no surprise exits from favourites in the women’s 400-metre heats at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Sunday (August 20).

Pole Natalia Kaczmarek opened with a resounding 50.02-second win to claim Heat 1 over Belgium’s Cynthia Bolingo (50.29s SB) and Jamaican Candice McLeod in 50.37s. Irish athlete Sharlene Mawdsley, though finishing fourth, secured a provisional qualification slot through a personal best effort of 51.17s.

Lieke Klaver from the Netherlands cinched the win in Heat 2, clocking 50.52s in first ahead of Briton Ama Pipi (50.81s) and American Lynna Irby-Jackson (50.81s). Austria’s Susanne Gogl-Walli and Evelis Jazmin Aguilar of Colombia managed to cop two provisional spots through respective 51.00s and 51.27s (personal best) times.

Barbadian two-time silver medallist Sada Williams sounded early warning shots in Heat 3, stopping the clock in a sporty 50.78s ahead of Mexico’s Paola Morán (51.59s) and South African Zenéy van der Walt (51.76s). Shockingly, defending champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo will miss out after finishing seventh in season’s best 52.65s.

It was a composed Heat 4 race for Jamaican national champion Nickisha Pryce, who crossed the finish line in an impressive 50.38s; besting Cuban sprinter Roxana Gómez (50.86s) and Gabby Scott from Puerto Rico in 51.07s.

Rhasidat Adeleke was off to winning ways for Ireland in Heat 5, winning in 50.80s ahead of Romanian Andrea Miklós (51.24s) and Tereza Petržilková of the Czech Republic (51.30s).

By virtue of producing the fastest time in the opening round at 49.90s, Paulino led a record six qualifiers in Heat 6 ahead of British campaigner Victoria Ohurugu (50.60s), Talitha Diggs from the United States (50.87s), Lada Vondrová of the Czech Republic (50.92s), Lithuanian Modesta Justė Morauskaitė (51.06s) and Jamaica’s Charokee Young (51.24).