TOKYO, Japan – National champion Stephenie-Ann McPherson and Candice McLeod both won their first round heats as all three Jamaican women, including Roneisha McGregor, made comfortable progress to the semi-finals of the women’s 400m at the Tokyo Olympic Games on Monday.

McPherson strolled to a 50.89 seconds win to fend off the fast finishing pair of Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland, who was second in 51.06 seconds, and Paolo Moran of Mexico who ran a season’s best 51.18 seconds.

McLeod was relaxed, running in lane five to clock 51.09 seconds, beating Amandine Brossier of France- 51.65 seconds and Susanne Walli of Austria- 52.19 seconds.

McGregor was made to work to secure her automatic spot as she was second in 51.14 seconds, separated by a photo-finish from third placed Lada Vondrova of the Czech Republic who ran her lifelime best, both behind American veteran and many time champion Allyson Felix who won comfortably in 50.84 seconds.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas, the defending champion who will run the final of the 200m later in the day in Tokyo, won her 400m heat to advance as well.

-Paul A Reid