Works 800 Champion Mary Moraa showcased her killer finish, leading Heat 1 of the semi-finals and qualifying for the 800m Finals.

Maraa won her opening semifinal in 1:57.86 from Ethiopia’s Worknesh Mesele (1:58.06). Tsige Duguma of Ethiopia, who won her semi in a personal best of 1:57.47, and South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso will also be clear medal challengers.

“During Tokyo, I was eliminated in the semi-finals. I’ve bounced back, and now I am in the finals. I feel the pressure, but I carry with me the hopes of my country in this race,” said Moraa.

Michael Norman, the 2022 world champion, topped qualifying for Tuesday’s men’s 400m semifinals with a season’s best of 44.10, while the man who beat him to first place at the US Trials, world bronze medallist Quincy Hall, was second fastest in 44.28.

Sadly the lane in Hall’s heat that should have contained defending champion Steven Gardiner was empty as the Bahamian, who has had injury problems within the past year but who had arrived in Paris with a season’s best of 44.39, did not start.