Yasmani Copello advances to final in London World Athletics

Cuban-born Turkish athlete Yasmani Copello secured his place in the London World Athletics Championship finals. Turkey's European champion Copello, who eased home just behind heat winner Abderrahaman Sambain in 48.91. Sambain who won in 48.75, now runs for Qatar, having switched his allegiance from Mauritania.

Another Turkish athlete, Azeri-born Ramil Guliyev qualified for the 200m semi-final. Olympic champion Kerron Clement put himself in pole position to win a third world title as the American went through the gears before cruising into the final of the 400 metres hurdles at the London Stadium on Monday. Clement's U.S. colleague TJ Holmes won the slowest, faintly shambolic, heat in 49.12 seconds, but did look to have enough in reserve to be a potential threat to his illustrious compatriot in today's final.

However, American hopes of having a powerful three-pronged assault on gold were thwarted by national champion Eric Futch's poor run on the inside lane in the other heat dominated by two of the sport's growing legion of 'allegiance transferees'.