Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands has emerged as a standout athlete in the preliminary heats of the 400m hurdles at the Paris Olympics, joining Jamaica’s national champion Malik James-King, Roshawn Clarke, and Jaheel Hyde in advancing to the semi-final round.

McMaster booked his spot with a time of 49.24 seconds this morning, August 5, securing third place in his heat. This marks a strong showing for Caribbean athletes in this event, as they continue to make waves on the global stage.

James-King, who posted a personal best of 47.42 to win the Jamaican national championships in June, delivered a smooth performance in the heats. He clocked 48.21 to comfortably win the last of five heats, securing his place as an automatic qualifier. Clarke, who finished second to James-King at the Jamaican trial, won Heat Four in a time of 48.17, ensuring his advancement to the semi-finals.

Hyde, competing in the opening heat against gold medal favourite Rai Benjamin, crossed the finish line in second place with a time of 49.08. Benjamin took the heat in an effortless 48.82. McMaster followed closely, securing third place in 49.24 to move on to the next round. “The main objective was to secure the automatic qualification, so once I positioned myself well in the first 250 metres, I just maintained my pace and eased to the finish. I focused on not aggravating anything and keeping my composure,” McMaster told the BVI Olympic Committee. He will compete in the semi-finals at 1:35 p.m. on Wednesday, 7 August.

Among the other medal favourites, Norway’s Karsten Warholm emerged as the fastest qualifier for the semi-finals, winning Heat Two in 47.57. Frenchman Clement Docus achieved a lifetime best of 47.69 to take second place, while Abderrahman Samba of Qatar finished third in 48.85. In another heat, Estonia’s Rasmus Magi led the pack with a winning time of 48.62, followed by the USA’s CJ Allen, who clocked 48.64. Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, another strong contender for a medal, secured his semi-final spot with a time of 48.85.

Defending champion Karsten Warholm safely advanced to the semi-finals of the men’s Olympic 400m hurdles after winning his heat at the Stade de France on Monday. Warholm, who set the world record when winning gold at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games, clocked 47.57 in scorching early morning weather in Paris. Also progressing with ease were the Norwegian’s main rivals for gold: American Rai Benjamin and Brazilian Alison Dos Santos. Benjamin eased up a full 30 metres from the line to win the opening heat in 48.82 ahead of Jamaican Jaheel Hyde and Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands. Dos Santos was a comfortable third behind heat winner Rasmus Magi of Estonia and American CJ Allen.

The semi-finals are scheduled for 17:35 GMT on Wednesday, with the final slated for 19:45 on Friday.