Edidiong powers through to 200m semis at athletics worlds

TDT | Manama                                              

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s elite sprinter Edidiong Odiong made it through to the semi-finals of the women’s 200 metres early yesterday morning at the World Athletics Championships 2022, being held in Eugene, Oregon, in the US.

Edidiong advanced despite placing sixth in the first of six heats in the event’s opening round. Only the top three from each heat plus the next six fastest athletes advanced. Edidiong was one of the six.

She finished her race in a time of 22.98 seconds. Winning her heat was Shericka Jackson of Jamaica in 22.33s, while also clinching automatic berths in the semis were Gabriela Anahi Suarez of Ecuador in 22.56s and Dalia Kaddari of Italy in 22.75s.

Fourth and fifth, respectively were Jessica-Bianca Wessolly (22.87s) of Germany and Rosemary Chukwuma (22.93s) of Nigeria, who were among the six athletes from the heats who earned non-automatic qualifying berths in the semi-finals.

The other three were Joella Lloyd of Antigua and Barbuda from heat two, and Gina Bass of Gambia and Jessika Gbai of Ivory Coast, both from heat four. Twenty-four athletes in all are set to compete in the 200m pre-medal round, divided into three races.

Edidiong will be in the second, which is scheduled for a 4.15am start early today morning, Bahrain time. In her heat, she will be up against Gbai, Tamara Clark from the US, Dina Asher-Smith from Great Britain, Beatrice Masilingi from Namibia, Elaine Thompson-Herah from Jamaica, Vitoria Cristina Rosa from Brazil and Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha from Nigeria.

Also today, Bahrain’s Aminat Jamal is scheduled to begin her quest for a medal in the women’s 400m hurdles in the first-round heats. There will be five heats, starting from 3.15am, Bahrain time, and Aminat will be racing in heat two.

Only the first four from each heat plus the next four fastest athletes qualify for the semi-finals. Aminat heads into the worlds with a personal best in the 400m hurdles of 55.12s, while her season’s best is 56.95s. She is currently ranked 44th in the world in the event.

The other competitors in her heat are Yanique Haye-Smith from Turks and Caicos Islands, Viktoriya Tkachuk from Ukraine, Vilvi Lehikoinen from Finland, Janieve Russell from Jamaica, Linda Olivieri from Italy, Portia Bing from New Zealand and Shamier Little from the US.