Nickisha Pryce got her quest for a medal in the women’s 400m at the Paris Olympics off to a smooth start on Monday, winning her first round heat in 50.02 seconds at Stade de France to lead all three Jamaicans through to the semi-finals.

Stacey-Ann Williams was second in her heat in a season’s best 50.16 seconds while Junelle Bromfield was third in her heat in 51.36 seconds.

Pryce, the world leader with 48.57 seconds set two weeks ago at the London Diamond League, was not pushed in her heat, beating Great Britain’s Laviai Nielsen who was second in 50.36 seconds and Norway’s Henriette Jaeger who was third in 50.39 seconds.

Williams finished behind former 400m world champion Salwa Eid Naser who won with 49.91 seconds while Romania’s Andrea Miklos got the other qualifying spot with a personal best 50.54 seconds.

Bromfield was forced to run hard over the final 50 metres in her race to snatch third place and avoid having to go to the repechage round. Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke, the European championships silver medallist, won the heat in 50.09 seconds ahead of American Alexis Holmes who was second in 50.35 seconds.

Of note, two-time world champion Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic leads the qualifying with 49.42 seconds ahead of Pryce’s former University of Arkansas teammate Amber Anning of Great Britain, 49.68 seconds.

-Paul A Reid