With just 13 entries, qualification for Sunday's final was less demanding than for some events, though Eaterina Kostetskaya nonetheless caught the eye.
The 16-year-old Russian, despite being drawn in the isolated lane eight, ran a smoothly paced race. So while Mackenzie Hill, of the United States, the third fastest in the world on rankings before these championships, tied up badly in the home straight, Kostetskaya cruised home well in front, beating her personal best by more than one-tenth of a second with 58.09sec.
With Hill dropping back to finish only fourth, though she qualifie as a fastest loser, the second automatic qualifying place was seized by Denmark's Sara Petersen in 59.71.
The only entrant to have run faster than Kostetskaya is Zuzana Hejnova, of the Czech Republic, with a 57.55sec personal best.
That class showed as she eased her way around her heat in 59.77, leaving Nicole Leach (United States), with 59.93 and Germany's Heike Wissing (59.97, a PB) to battle for the minor placings.
