Brits progress to finals

A host of British athletes progressed to finals at the World Championships.

Defending 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu led the way as moved safely through to her final.

The British star finished second behind title favourite Sanya Richards in her semi-final to move through to Tuesday's medal race.

Ohuruogu was, however, the slowest of the eight qualifiers in 50.35 - a season's best. The fast-starting Richards ran 50.21.

The other Briton, Nicola Sanders, the silver medallist in Osaka two years ago, bowed out.

She paid for a fast start in the home straight as Shericka Williams, of Jamaica, won the race in 49.51 ahead of Russia's Antonina Krivoshapka.

Sanders was fourth in 50.45, a season's best, but not enough for her to progress as a fastest loser.

British triple jump hopefuls Phillips Idowu and Nathan Douglas both leapt into their final.

Idowu, among the medal favourites, set the second-best distance, his effort of 17.32m being enough to send him into the final automatically.

Douglas did not manage the automatic qualifying distance of 17.15 but his best jump of 17.00 proved good enough for a spot in the top 12.

Rising star Dai Greene booked his place in the final of the men's 400m hurdles as his fine form continued.

Having shone in Saturday's heats, the Welshman backed up that display with a new personal best of 48.27secs as he finished second in his semi-final.

Only Bershawn Jackson, the 2005 gold medallist, finished ahead of Greene, who moves through to Tuesday's final.

His time makes him the third fastest Briton of all time - only Kriss Akabusi and David Hemery have run faster.

In the morning session, the British trio Jemma Simpson, Jenny Meadows and Marilyn Okoro all advanced to the semi-finals of the women's 800m, but Goldie Sayers missed out on a place in the javelin final after finishing an agonising 13th in qualifying.

In the day's only field final, New Zealand's Valerie Vili successfully defended her shot put title.

She denied Germany their first gold medal of the World Championships, pushing Nadine Kleinert into second place.