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News10 Mar 2006


Women's 400m Round One

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Twotime defending champion Natalya Nazarova launched her attempt to become the first three-time 400m winner with her easy 51.77 win in the second of four heats.

Competing before a hometown crowd, the 26-year-old easily turned back the challenge of Mariyana Dimitrova of Bulgaria, who also moved on to tomorrow's semi-final with a personal best 52.07.

Olesya Krasnomovets, the reigning silver medallist and seen as the primary challenger to Nazarova's indoor throne, cruised to a commanding 51.18 win in her heat, nearly a full second ahead of runner-up Claudia Hoffman of Germany (53.05).

But it wasn't one of the favoured Russians who produced the fastest performance of the round. It was Vanya Stombolova, the 22-year-old who lowered the Bulgarian national record to 50.58 earlier this winter. In the opening heat, Stambolava clocked 51.04, well ahead of Jamaican Novlene Williams, who clocked 51.57, Ilona Usovich of Belarus ran a personal best 51.71, the other sub 53-second clocking of the round.

American champion Sanya Richards, in just her second competition of the season, won the final heat in 52.25, just ahead of quick-closing Christine Amertil (52.33).

BR

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