Jamaica’s Stephanie-Ann McPherson won Semi-final Three on Wednesday (August 4) to progress to the Tokyo Olympic Games 400 metres final, where she will be joined by compatriot Candice McLeod, who completed Semi-final One in the second position.

Jamaica’s third competitor Roneisha McGregor ended third and failed to progress from Semi-final Two as only the top two finishers in each of the three semi-finals and the next two fastest times advanced.

McPherson in lane four and with legendary Allyson Felix of the United States of America (USA) starting ahead of her in lane five, went out hard and track Felix to the 200 metres mark, where she eliminated the stagger as both entered the curve together.

McPherson was in the lead at the top of the homestretch with Felix second, but the latter was just contented to finish in the top two to earn the automatic spot and did not chase the Jamaican.

McPherson did a personal best of 49.34 seconds to win, with Felix doing a season-best of 49.89 as Barbados’ Sada Williams doing a national record of 50.11 for third.

In Semi-finals One, Quanera Hayes of the USA covered the stagger on McLeod after only 100 metres and was in a commanding lead at the 200 metres mark, where McLeod started to respond to her.

Coming into the homestretch Hayes still maintained a comfortable lead with McLeod in fourth, but Hayes started to tire and almost coming to a walk and was passed by Marileidy Paulino of Dominica, with McLeod running through in the final few metres to get the second automatic spot to qualify for the final.

Paulino clocked a national record of 49.38 to win, with McLeod doing 49.51 as Cuba’s Roxana Gomez claiming third in a personal best of 49.71, as Hayes ended in 49.81. Hayes, however, made the final as one of the two fastest non-automatic times, with Gomez also advancing.

McGregor maintained a consistent pace throughout her race and entered the final straight in the third position, but failed to find the energy to catch defending 2016 Rio Olympic Games winner Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas and Jodie Williams of Great Britain.

Miller-Uibo did 49.60 seconds to win with Williams ending in a personal best of 49.97 as McGregor was timed in 50.34.