MOSCOW, August 10 (R-Sport) – British sprinting star Christine Ohuruogu clocked the fastest qualifying time in the women’s 400m at the world athletics championships in Moscow on Saturday to easily earn a spot in the semifinals.
Ohuruogu, the London 2012 Olympic silver medalist and Beijing gold medal winner, won the second of five heats with a time of 50.20 seconds.
The next fastest time belonged to American Francena McCorory, who is looking to improve on her fourth-place finish at the 2011 world championships in Daegu, South Korea. She led heat three Saturday at 50.56 seconds.
“I feel great, my time shows that I'm fit, so I'm looking forward for tomorrow,” McCorory said. “We have two rounds two days in a row, so that can be tough but I can handle it. I'm very focused this time and I'm ready to go.”
Amantle Montsho, the reigning world champion, took the fifth and final heat of the day, clocking 50.75. The Botswanan ran the fastest 400m of the season, at 49.33, in Monaco last month.
Russians Antonina Krivoshapka and Kseniya Ryzhova stirred the hometown crowd with heat-leading turns and advance to Sunday's semifinals. Krivoshapka owns the second-fastest time of the season with 49.57, which she achieved in Moscow in July.
"I was running in my pace and finished calmly, I was even looking at the screen to decide whether to continue running or cut the speed," Krivoshapka said. "After the Olympics, I don't worry a lot, I just came out on track with a smile like on a training. It's easy for me to perform on home soil."
Also advancing are: Ashley Spencer (United States); Kineke Alexander (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines); Omolara Omotoso (Nigeria); Natasha Hastings (USA); Marie Gayot (France); Amy Thiam (Senegal); Libania Grenot (Italy); Floria Guei (France); Novlene Williams-Mills (Jamaica); Bianca Razor (Romania); Regina George (Nigeria); Patricia Hall (Jamaica); Aauri Lorena Bokesa (Spain)
