Kyle Clemons in the 400m heats at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot (© Getty Images)
Chris Brown, the 2010 world indoor champion, asserted his dominance in the heats of the 400m, leading the qualifiers with a 45.84 clocking, the second-fastest heat time in the history of the IAAF World Indoor Championships.
The Olympic 4x400m relay champion, now 35, claimed the fifth heat and was followed by the Czech Republic’s European indoor and outdoor champion, Pavel Maslak, who registered 46.01 for the runner-up spot behind him.
Lalonde Gordon, the Olympic bronze medallist from Trinidad and Tobago, took the first heat with 46.07 – a comfortable run-out considering he is by far the fastest man among the entrants with a swift 45.17 under his belt this winter.
Jamaica’s world outdoor 4x400m relay silver medallist Edino Steele clocked 46.38 for second in the first heat, while US champion Kyle Clemons won the fourth heat with 46.42.
Estonia’s 2006 world junior 200m champion Marek Niit registered 46.52 for third place in heat one to qualify by time, while the Dominican Republic’s Olympic silver medallist Luguelin Santos strode to a 46.54 clocking to claim heat three.
David Verburg, the world outdoor 4x400m relay champion and US silver medallist, crossed the line first in heat two with 46.62, whilst Costa Rica’s 2012 world indoor champion Nery Brenes registered the same time for the runner-up position in the third heat.
Great Britain’s Nigel Levine, the 2012 world indoor 4x400m silver medallist, grabbed the last of the non-automatic qualifying spots with 46.64 for third place in heat three.
Nicola Bamford for the IAAF
