Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas races in a women's 400 meter heat at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Sept. 30, 2019.
AP Photo/Petr David Josek
There was no drama in the women’s 400-metre heats at the IAAF as favourite, the Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller-Uibo, trotted through the first round of heats to make the semi-final, while Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson and Stephenie-Ann McPherson did just enough.
Sada Williams of Barbados, running in the first heat of the 400s this morning was second in a pedantic 52.14 seconds but was certain of qualification with the first three through as automatic qualifiers.
The United States’ Phyllis Francis won the heat in 50.77 seconds, while the Czech Republic’s Lada Vondrová was the third qualifier in 52.23 seconds.
The United States kept winning heats on Monday, as Wadeline Jonathas, 50.57, won heat 2 ahead of Jackson, 51.13.
Jackson never seemed to push herself very much but did enough to pull a personal best 51.21 from Australia’s Bendere Oboyo.
Sakima Wimbley was another winner for the United States but had to file an appeal to escape a disqualification that, on the face of it, looked pretty harsh.
McPherson clocked 51.21 seconds to finish behind the personal best of Botswana’s Galafele Moroko, 50.59. Guyana’s Aliyah Abrams with 51.73 qualified from a non-automatic spot, finishing fourth in the heat behind Nigeria’s Favour Ofili.
Miller-Uibo has not finished behind anybody this year and she seems keen on keeping things that way, but she still didn’t extend herself very far in stopping clock at 51.30 seconds, to better France’s Déborah Sananes and Kenya’s Mary Moraa.
Miller-Uibo’s major challenge is expected to come from Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, who won heat six on Monday and hardly looked bothered either.
Naser strolled to 50.74 seconds, slower than Miller-Uibo but also well ahead of the field headed by Poland’s Justyna Święty-Ersetic, 51.34, and mexico’s paola morán, 51.58.
Paul-Andre is the Managing Editor at SportsMax.tv. He comes to the role with almost 20 years of experience as journalist. That experience includes all facets of media. He began as a sports Journalist in 2001, quickly moving into radio, where he was an editor before becoming a news editor and then an entertainment editor with one of the biggest media houses in the Caribbean.
Coe 'killing' athletics with Diamond League changes, warns Blake
Yohan Blake believes IAAF president Sebastian Coe is "killing" athletics by cutting back on Diamond League disciplines.
Sweeping changes announced in November saw the 200 metres, 3,000m steeplechase, discus and triple jump removed from the schedule for the upcoming season in a bid to accommodate a 90-minute broadcast window.
Former 100m world champion and 200m Olympic silver medallist Blake thinks the decision will do more harm than good to the sport.
"It has changed a lot, I am not going to lie. The times we are running have slowed down, track and field is dying a little," said Blake.
"If [Coe] can take away the 200 and triple jump, I don't know if he is trying to build or trying to kill athletics.
"But that's a stupid move he is making. He must enhance the sport, but he is killing it. It is just madness.
"This is people's careers and where they make money… You cannot do that. Everybody is hating him. We have to take a stand."
Mo Farah to run 10,000m at 2020 Olympics
Mo Farah has performed a U-turn and elected to defend his 10,000m title at the Tokyo Olympics next year.
Two years ago, Farah walked away from track events to concentrate on marathons and he finished eighth across 26.2 miles in Chicago last month having won the event in 2018.
However, the 36-year-old has decided to return to shorter distances and will aim to add to his Olympic medal collection at the next Games.
Farah, who will still need to qualify for the event in Tokyo, won gold over 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
"It's been really exciting to compete at the marathon for the last couple of years," Farah said in a message posted on his YouTube Channel.
"To win the Chicago Marathon, as a major marathon, that was nice. To finish third in the London Marathon, was okay, it was good.
"It's been a good learning curve for me - doing the marathon, to run 2:05 - British record, European record. The training for it was totally different to the track.
"Next year I've decided, Tokyo 2020, I'm going to be back on the track. I'm really excited to be competing back on the track and giving it a go in the 10,000 metres.
"Hopefully I haven't lost my speed. I'll train hard for it and see what I can do."
Nine more student-athletes get scholarships from Pocket Rocket Foundation
Nine high school student-athletes became first-time scholarship recipients from Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s Pocket Rocket Foundation on Wednesday.
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