Beenamol tops heat in 400m

India's K M Beenamol has qualified for the semifinals of the women's 400m.

Running in the 7th heat, Beenamol did the one lap race in 51.51. The time, however, is short of her own personal best of 51.21 -- though this being the preliminary heats, none of the runners were really pushing flat out.

Interestingly, Beenamol's time is the fastest in the 8 heats in round 1. 32 runners qualify for the next round, and the Indian heads the parade.

Of those going into the second round, Jitka Burianova is second with 51.59.

Cathy Freeman, the Australian gold medal hope in the event, ran a slow race in her heat, topping it in 51.63.

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