Two-time reigning World Champion Allyson Felix of the United States starts her defence of her title at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics (© Getty Images)
Following the cancellation of this morning's scheduled heats the 200m women were given a lie in, not to mention a round less to negotiate in their pursuit of a path to Friday's final.
In what proved a straight forward task for the main contenders, Simone Facey took a comfortable heat one victory in 22.84. Facey, who placed third in the Jamaican Championships, dominated from lane eight to finish clear of ChaRonda Williams of the USA (23.08). The third and final automatic qualification spot was taken by French champion Johanna Danois in 23.29
American Muna Lee had disappointingly failed to qualify for the 100m final but started her 200m quest in satisfying fashion with a heat two victory in 22.76. Fellow World Championship 100m semi-finalist Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad placed second in 23.00 with Russia's Yuliya Gushchina third in 23.07 also advancing.
Defending champion Allyson Felix could not have progressed with any less fuss or for that matter effort as she cruised to 22.88 to clinch heat three. The American, who is bidding to become the first woman to win a hat-trick of 200m World titles, may have been mildly surprised that the athlete on her shoulder was New Zealand's Monique Williams, who set a national record of 22.96 for second. The third qualifier from this heat was Tameka Williams of St Kitts and Nevis in 23.27.
In heat four Marshevet Hooker of the USA blitzed to the fastest time of the qualification round posting 22.51 from the 2001 World 200m champion Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (22.71) of the Bahamas. Running from the outside lane Hooker, who was fifth in the 2008 Olympic final, dominated from the gun to take the heat win. Perhaps the most noteworthy story of the race was the qualification in third of Eleni Artymata, who wiped 0.33 from her personal best to set a Cypriot record of 22.83.
The three-time World finalist Cydonie Mothersill began her quest for No.4 with an impressive heat five victory in 22.69. The Cayman Islands sprinter produced an impressive late surge to suggest she will be a factor at the business end of the competition.
Jamaica's Anneisha McLaughlin secured second place in 22.91 with the early leader, LaVerne Jones-Ferrette of the American Virgin Islands, fading in the latter stages, but still qualifying third in 22.97.
The Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown cruised to victory in the sixth and final heat in 23.01. The Jamaican looked to be operating at nothing more than second gear to finish handily ahead of Great Britain's Emily Freeman 23.10 and Belgium's Olivia Borlee 23.25m, who both advance to tomorrow's semi-finals.
Steve Landells for the IAAF
