Women 400m heats
A world indoor champion back in 1993, Jamaica's Sandie Richards showed she is still a force to contend with, with a decisive win in the first heat of the 400m. Richards took an early lead, hitting halfway at 24.15, and maintained her advantage over the Russian Olesya Zykina, to stop the clock at 52.11.
A familiar face from Russia's world indoor record breaking 4x400m team, Olga Kotlyarova was a comfortable victor of heat 2, striding clear after a first 200m of 24.54 and maintaining her lead over Monique Henderson to finish in 52.61, two metres ahead of her American rival.
Defending world champion, Ionela Tirlea, eager to put two indifferent years behind her, went out hard in heat 3, but it was a British newcomer Catherine Murphy who held the lead at the bell. She held her advantage for an impressive win in 52.61, just ahead of the fast finishing American Suziann Reid. A disappointed Tirlea at least qualified as a fastest loser.
The final heat saw a great race between Germany's Shanta Ghosh, who had built up a big lead by halfway, and Nadjina Kaltouma, a statuesque sprinter from Chad, who clawed her way into contention on the final straight. At the line, just three 1/100ths separated the two - 52.49 to 52.53.
