There were no surprises as competition got underway with the opening round of the women's 60 metres dash.
Pre-meet favorites Christine Arron and US champion Gail Devers each clocked 7.15 to tie as the morning's fastest. Each looked comfortable with gun to finish wins. Belgian record holder Kim Gevaert opened with a relaxed 7.16 to win the fourth heat, with Torri Edwards second (7.29).
Heat three was won my Muriel Hurtis in 7.18, with Debbie Ferguson (7.27) and world leader Yuliya Tabakova (7.28). Yuliya Nestorenko of Belorus (7.18) won the first heat, with Vida Anim (7.28) and Yeoryia Kokloni (7.29), the Balkan Games indoor champion, advancing easily.
In the final heat, Merlene Ottey, at 43 the oldest competitor in the field, finished second to Devers in 7.27, with Natalya Safronnikova (7.32) and Hungarian Eniko Szabo (7.37) moving on as well. For Szabo, the silver medallist 100 meters year's World Student Games, it was personal best.
The first four finishers from each heat, plus the next four fastest, moved on to the semi-finals later this afternoon.
