Carmelita Jeter on her way to winning heat 1 in the women's 100m (© Getty Images)
The first round of the women's 100m went off like clockwork with none of the recognised contenders for the gold medal making mistakes which would have caused their elimination.
That said the coach of defending champion Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce might give her a slap on both hands. After executing a good start and building up an unassailable lead she slowed far too early and was caught by Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare.
If there had been any other rivals with the same class of the three-time African champion who won by 0.03sec in 11.10, the consequences may have been more severe. That said Jamaica's Olympic champion looked very sharp, albeit it this was just a heat.
Ivet Lalova who looked set for a high profile career until a tragic accident saw her break her leg when warming up for the 2005 Athens Grand Prix suggested her career was at an end, showed she is on the mend.
The Bulgarian fourth in the previous year's Olympic Games in the Greek capital having proved herself a winner away from the track is again ready to mix it with the best in the world.
The 27-year-old today despite an indifferent start posted along with Okagbare the fastest time of the qualifying round when outpacing Oludamola Osayomi of Nigeria by 0.05sec.
Earlier the first heat saw world leader Carmelita Jeter barely break sweat as she stretched her legs down the track to beat Bahama's former World junior champion Sheniqua Ferguson by 0.15sec in 11.21. Will this be the occasion the bronze medallist at the last two Championships finally stands on the podium between the bronze and silver medallists?
Kerron Stewart who followed her onto the track for the next race and won in 11.13 started a sequence which will most likely see her familiar face and those of fellow Jamaican's Fraser Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown in Monday night's final providing of course they qualify earlier in the evening's semis.
The runner-up in Berlin two years ago might have been as sprightly so far this season as on that occasion. But also having shared the 2008 Olympic silver medal with Sherone Simpson, she is an athlete for the big occasion and more importantly can produce the goods when it matters most.
Former title holder Campbell-Brown although drawn in lane one was never in any difficulty cruising through to beat France's Veronique Mang by 0.01 with a clocking of 11.19. The 2007 Osaka gold medallist is another for the big occasion and will also wish to atone for her fourth place in Berlin two years ago.
Campbell-Brown will certainly be wary of Kelly-Ann Baptiste who took her heat in 11.27 and who scored a shock victory ahead of her on the Paris leg of this summer's Samsung Diamond League global track and field tour. Her season's best there of 10.91 makes her a strong contender and the Trinidad sprinter is keen to add another medal to her IAAF Continental Cup victory last summer.
The biggest roar of the seven heats came not when the big names were participating but when Korea's Hye-Lim Jung stepped onto the Daegu 2011 stadium track. Having progressed through the newly initiated preliminary round for athletes not holding the 'B' qualifier this was always going to be her final.
Jung 24, was never going to challenge France's Myriam Soumare and Marshevet Myers of the USA who clocked 11.12 and 11.16. But she gave it her best shot and left the arena like a World champion with a big wave and a massive smile on her face after placing sixth.
David Martin for the IAAF
