Jamaica's Novlene Williams-Mills looks up on the giant screen as she rests after completing her run in the 400 metres at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany, yesterday. - Photo by Oliver Wright

Berlin, Germany:

Olympic silver medallist Shericka Williams led three Jamaican women into today's semi-finals of the 400 metres following yesterday's opening round.

Williams, who surprised many with her run in Beijing, clocked 51.23 seconds for the runner-up spot in heat two, won by Botswana's Amantle Monsho in the fastest time of the round, 50.65.

National champion Novlene Williams-Mills won her heat in 51.55 while Christine Day, fifth in 53.13 in heat one, had an agonising wait before advancing as one of the fastest losers.

possible surprise

Like last year in Beijing, Williams is not a favourite for a medal but looks good enough to surprise the fancied pair of American Sanya Richards and defending champion and Beijing winner, Britain's Christine Ohuruogu.

"I felt pretty comfortable. You have to take it step by step, round by round and qualify for each round as comfortably as possible, so that's exactly what I did," she said after her race.

According to Williams, the spotlight is still on Richards and Ohuruogu.

"... Everybody is still looking out for Sanya and Ohuruogu so a lot of pressure is still off me," she said.

Williams and her coach Stephen Francis are seemingly adopting a new strategy following a near miss at the Olympics. She will no longer sit and wait until the pace comes back.

"I am trying to be up there and coming off the curve with everybody else," Williams said about her likely new race strategy.

"Coach says I am a little bit stronger this year so I can go a little bit harder (faster) for my first 200m."

Williams-Mills, who went off much too fast in Osaka and was caught close home by Ohuruogu and her compatriot, Nicola Sanders, is also changing tactics. She will run a more controlled race.

"This year I want to just stay with the pack and then just execute from there," she said.

Day, drawn in lane eight, went out much too slow and her time got her in. She was, however, unhappy with the execution of her race.

"I think I should have run the first curve a little harder and travel the back straight a little better and finish stronger. I am really disappointed with the time," said Day, who also expressed some concern about running out of lane eight where the rest of the field could watch her every move.

worried about the lane

"I was a bit worried about the lane going into the race so I guess it was resting on my mind, she said.

The opening round of the women's 800 metres will also be run today with national record holder, Kenia Sinclair, representing the island, while Julian Reid competes in the qualification round of the men's triple jump.

Two men advanced in the 400 metres hurdles but a third, Josef Robertson, was disqualified.

National champion Isa Phillips won heat one in 48.99 seconds, while Danny McFarlane clocked a faster time, 48.65, in placing second to America's Kerron Clement, 48.39, in heat three. Javier Culson of Puerto Rico won heat two in 49.23 and Britain's David Green took heat four in 48.76.