The Caribbean will have two chances at a medal in the women’s 400m final at the Paris Olympic Games, as Domincan Republic’s Marileidy Paulino and Barbadian Sade Williams progressed from their respective semi-finals at the Stade de France on Wednesday.

While their progressions were anticipated, Jamaica’s world leader, Nickisha Pryce, who enjoyed a rich vein of form throughout the season, was a big surprise casualty as she had her worst performance this year in semi-final two. Pryce went out hard but faded into fourth in 50.77s, behind Paulino (49.21s), who won comfortably ahead of American Alexis Holmes (50.00s).

Despite placing third in semi-final three, Sade Williams’ 49.89s was good enough for one of the two non-automatic qualifying spots to the final. Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek (49.45s) won the race ahead of Great Britain’s Amber Anning (49.47s).

Jamaica’s Stacey-Ann Williams (50.79s) and Cuba’s Roxana Gomez (50.48s) were seventh and fifth in that semi-final, respectively, and both failed to progress.

Earlier, Jamaican Junelle Bromfield (51.93s) and Puerto Rico’s Gabby Scott (51.22s) were eighth and seventh in semi-final one, as they too missed out. The qualifying spots from that race went to Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser (49.08s), Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke (49.95s), and Norway’s Henriette Jaeger (50.17s).

The final is scheduled for Friday, August 9.