Jehue Gordon powers through the rain to comfortably make it into the 400m Hurdles final (© Getty Images)
Newly crowned World Junior 100 metres champion Dexter Lee squandered his chances of achieving a sprint double when being disqualified for false starting on the Championships fourth day in the Stade de Moncton this morning.
The Jamaican in a haunted 200 heat, was first to be red carded with Frenchman Jeffrey John and Hensley Paulina of the Netherland's Antilles, following him into the sin bin.
Lee who was aiming to follow in the footsteps of his Trinidad's Ato Boldon and Briton Christian Malcolm who won both races in 1992 and 1998, paid the price for his elementary error.
“I think I was a little bit tired from the long delay last night,” said Lee. “I was taking a long time at the anti-doping. I will just focus on the 4x100m relay.”
His shock elimination came with the rain still lashing down which delayed the start of the women's hammer qualifier for 20 minutes and the postponement of the women's pole vault preliminaries until Friday morning.
Japan's Shota IIzuka the fastest junior in the world this year led the qualifiers for the semi finals with a clocking of 21.13.
Gordon defies torrential rain to easily advance
The women 400 metre hurdlers with heavy rain soaking the state of art Mondo track got the action underway, with World leader Katsiaryna Artsiukh looking undeterred by the heavy rain.
The Belarusian in the opening heat of the first round, produced a very fast time of 57.52 making the final despite clattering the eighth hurdle which almost brought her to a halt.
Last summer's World Youth gold medallist Vera Rudakova of Russia also highly tipped for a podium place, took the next qualifier in 58.52 with the USA's Evonne Britton who will contest the 100m hurdles final tonight, clinching a second appearance when second in 59.62.
Japan's Shiori Miki the third fastest performer this year, took the third semi in 58.45 with the host nation's Kelsey Balkwill clocking a personal best 59.04, also making the cut.
Jehue Gordon is around 50 seconds away from making up for his shock 400m hurdles elimination at the last Championships two years ago in Bydgoszcz.
Gordon the undisputed favourite - he has a PB of 48.26 which saw him miss out by just 0.03sec at last August's World Championships in Berlin - produced an effortless display to win his semi final in 50.54.
The Trinidad star who tops this year's World rankings with a 48.47 clocking, is determined to atone not only for his setback in Poland but win his country's first gold medal since 2006.
Gordon in the unhelpful conditions, said: "The race wasn't as I expected, but you have to compete under any circumstances and I just went out and kept focused.
"You have to keep as warm as possible. It was a bit cold because the rain was pouring on us. You have to change some of the steps between the hurdles."
He admitted: "Sunny is always a plus for me but being a champion you have to compete at your best in the worst conditions. It was my first time running in these conditions."
Gordon time wise may stand head-and-shoulders over his opponents but it seems certain Takatoshi Abe will make him fight every inch of the way.
Japan's 18-year-old Asian junior champion was fastest in the heats when equalling his season's fastest of 50.53 and despite the wet track went even quicker today running 50.45.
Belgium's Stef Vanhaeren roaring to a personal best of 50.91 to win the first qualifier also booked his place in Friday night's final and the other surprise packet Emir Bekric made it with a Serbian record of 50.91.
Williams still on course for sprint double
Jodie Williams took the first step to gaining a 100 and 200 double - a feat only achieved previously by Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica 10 years ago and Tezdzhan Naimova of Bulgaria - winning her heat over the longer distance.
The Briton just 13 hours after claiming the 100 title and who tops this year's World rankings with 22.79, from the outside lane cruised to victory in 23.79.
Williams who couldn't sleep after her magnificent victory, said: "I just came here thinking I need just to qualify and do what I can and so that's what I did."
US Virgin Islander Allison Peter who lost the World Youth gold medal to Williams in a photo-finish - both clocked 23.08 - in Bressanone, confidently won the first heat in 23.62 with the wind on the permitted level of +2.0m/s.
Ashton Purvis third in that thriller in Bressanone also went through, but the American fourth in the previous night's sprint final, looked a little jaded finishing third in 24.26.
Bahamian winner Anthonique Strachan posted a 23.66 personal best while Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji ran a season's fastest of 23.93 for second.
However it was the 100 bronze medallist Jamile Samuel who achieved the fastest time. The Dutchwoman with the rain still belting down mastered the conditions winning in the final heat in 23.56.
Field events disrupted by weather conditions
When the women's hammer eventually got underway, there was a massive shock with the elimination of World leader Yirisleydi Ford of Cuba who produced three no throws.
China's Li Zhang second in the rankings made no mistake in the second group, easily passing the 61m automatic qualifier with a throw of 64.02 - the only athlete to achieve it.
The long jump was even worse as the rain took its toll no one made the requisite distance of 6.25m. The furthest came from Chantel Malone who before taking part in tonight's 400 final cleared 6.07m.
David Martin for the IAAF
