USA's Debbie Dunn wins her 400m heat in Doha (© Getty Images)
World leader Debbie Dunn of the US kicked off the 13th World Indoor Championships with a comfortable gun-to-tape win in the first race of the morning.
The US champion looked comfortable and at ease as she coasted to her 52.24 run, ahead of Bahamian Christine Amertil (52.50).
“My plan was to get out and control the race,” said the 31-year-old, who lowered her indoor career best to 50.86 at the US championships last month. “The main point of the day is tonight’s semi-finals.”
The top-two from each of the four morning’s heats, along with the next four fastest advanced to those semis, which will, along with the men’s semis in the same event, close out competition on the first day.
From heat one, African champion Amantle Montsho claimed one of those spots, finishing third in 52.72, knocking more than two-tenths from her own national record.
Natalya Nazarova, the winner in 2003 and 2004, began her quest to become the event’s first three-time winner with a comfortable run and victory in heat three. The 30-year-old, who also owns five World indoor 4x400m Relay gold medals, clocked 53.50 this morning to finish ahead of Bulgarian Vania Stambolova (53.57) who moved on as well.
“I have experience that is true,” said Nazarova, who’s run 51.45 this season, “but on the other hand it is tougher and tougher every year to run with the younger girls.” She should keep in mind the example set by Maria Mutola, a seven-time World indoor champion in the 800m, with whom she’s currently tied for most career World indoor golds.
The second heat was the closest, and not only among those vying for the two automatic spots. Czech Denisa Rosolova, better known as a long jumper, outleaned American Deedee Trotter as both clocked 52.75, just a hair ahead of Aliann Pompey of Guyana, who stopped the clock in 52.76.
“I would have pushed a little bit more if I had known they were so close,” said Trotter, who added that this was the first time in her career where the schedule forced her into a 9 a.m. race.
Overall, this was the fastest heat of the morning, with Bobby-Gaye Wilkins of Jamaica (52.86) also advancing.
Tatyana Firova, who shared the Russian title with Nazarova, and Novlene Williams-Mills of Jamaica took the automatic spots from the fourth heat, clocking 52.67 and 52.73 respectively. An Olympic silver medalist in the 4x400, Firova, like Trotter, apparently isn’t a morning person either. “It was quite hard because it was so early in the morning.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
The US champion looked comfortable and at ease as she coasted to her 52.24 run, ahead of Bahamian Christine Amertil (52.50).
“My plan was to get out and control the race,” said the 31-year-old, who lowered her indoor career best to 50.86 at the US championships last month. “The main point of the day is tonight’s semi-finals.”
The top-two from each of the four morning’s heats, along with the next four fastest advanced to those semis, which will, along with the men’s semis in the same event, close out competition on the first day.
From heat one, African champion Amantle Montsho claimed one of those spots, finishing third in 52.72, knocking more than two-tenths from her own national record.
Natalya Nazarova, the winner in 2003 and 2004, began her quest to become the event’s first three-time winner with a comfortable run and victory in heat three. The 30-year-old, who also owns five World indoor 4x400m Relay gold medals, clocked 53.50 this morning to finish ahead of Bulgarian Vania Stambolova (53.57) who moved on as well.
“I have experience that is true,” said Nazarova, who’s run 51.45 this season, “but on the other hand it is tougher and tougher every year to run with the younger girls.” She should keep in mind the example set by Maria Mutola, a seven-time World indoor champion in the 800m, with whom she’s currently tied for most career World indoor golds.
The second heat was the closest, and not only among those vying for the two automatic spots. Czech Denisa Rosolova, better known as a long jumper, outleaned American Deedee Trotter as both clocked 52.75, just a hair ahead of Aliann Pompey of Guyana, who stopped the clock in 52.76.
“I would have pushed a little bit more if I had known they were so close,” said Trotter, who added that this was the first time in her career where the schedule forced her into a 9 a.m. race.
Overall, this was the fastest heat of the morning, with Bobby-Gaye Wilkins of Jamaica (52.86) also advancing.
Tatyana Firova, who shared the Russian title with Nazarova, and Novlene Williams-Mills of Jamaica took the automatic spots from the fourth heat, clocking 52.67 and 52.73 respectively. An Olympic silver medalist in the 4x400, Firova, like Trotter, apparently isn’t a morning person either. “It was quite hard because it was so early in the morning.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
