Nathon Allen, Hudson-Smith cruised into Commonwealth Games 2022 400m semis

World Championships bronze medalist Matthew Hudson-Smith of England and Jamaica’s Nathon Allen both cruised into the semi-final of the men’s 400m at the Commonwealth Games 2022 here at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on Wednesday (3). Read more: Commonwealth Games 2022 women’s 100m semi-final start list; Thompson-Herah starts in heat 2 – Day 2

Allen, who pulled out of the one-lap event in the semi-finals at the World Athletics Championships 2022 in Oregon, almost two weeks ago, had little trouble navigating through his first-round heat here today as he eased to a season-best 45.18 to take the second section comfortably.

The Jamaican clocked the second-fastest time on the day, but he did so with very minimum effort while finishing ahead of Leungo Scotch of Botswana who clocked 45.75, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Asa Guevara who ran 45.98 for third.

Meanwhile, Hudson-Smith, the third place finisher at Oregon22 ten days ago, was just as comfortable when winning heat four with a time of 46.26 secs. 

The English sprinter who traveled straight to Birmingham from Eugene, to prepare for the Commonwealth Games, was in cruise control all the way home as he finished in front of Nigeria’s Dubem Amene (46.77) and Joseph Brier (46.84) of Wales who both qualified for the semi-final as well.

Muzala Samukonga runs fastest time, but at what cost?

The quickest qualifier on the day, though, was Muzala Samukonga, who ran a personal best time on his way to breaking 45-seconds for the first time ever in his career.

This seems to have come at a cost, however.

Running like a man possessed over the last 60m of the race, Samukonga bolted to a lifetime best of 44.89 seconds to win heat five by more than 10 meters. The African champion was improving his previous personal best from 45.02, set in the semi-finals at the World Athletics Championships 2022 on 20 July.

However, the performance seems to have taken a toll on the 19-year-old Zambian sprinter who had to be wheeled off the track in an assisted chair with what appears to be muscle cramps after being pictured laying down on the track in real discomfort and clutching onto his left hamstring.

Meanwhile, other notable heat winners in the first round of the men’s 400m today were Jamaica’s Anthony Cox (45.51), Boniface Ontuga Mweresa (45.91) of Kenya, Zibane Ngozi (46.34) of Botswana, and Jonathan Jones (46.39) of Barbados.

In the meantime, World and Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir of Kenya who initially crossed the line first in heat six, was subsequently disqualified for a lane violation.

The semi-finals of the men’s 400m at the Commonwealth Games 2022 are set for Friday, 5 August.

Commonwealth Games 2022 men’s 400m heats – results

Round 1 – Heat 1 – 07:20 UTC-4 – Official
Rank	CGA	Name	Reaction TimeR.T.	Time	Record	Qualification
1	JAM	Anthony COX	0.214	45.51		Q
2	AUS	Steven SOLOMON	0.196	45.98		Q
3	NAM	Ivan Danny GELDENHUYS	0.183	46.51		Q
4	SRI	Kalinga HEWA KUMARAGE	0.159	46.53		q
5	SVG	Desroy JORDAN	0.171	47.29	PB
6	TTO	Che LARA	0.139	47.51
7	VAN	Obediah TIMBACI	0.186	51.62	SB

Round 1 – Heat 2 – 07:28 UTC-4 – Official
Rank	CGA	Name	Reaction TimeR.T.	Time	Record	Qualification
1	JAM	Nathon ALLEN	0.164	45.18	SB	Q
2	BOT	Leungo SCOTCH	0.168	45.75		Q
3	TTO	Asa GUEVARA	0.156	45.98		Q
4	NAM	Mahhad Alexander BOCK	0.199	46.71
5	SLE	Alford CONTEH	0.168	47.12	PB
6	SGP	Zong Yang TAN	0.195	47.55
7	PNG	Emmanuel WANGA	0.173	48.23

Round 1 – Heat 3 – 07:36 UTC-4 – Official
Rank	CGA	Name	Reaction TimeR.T.	Time	Record	Qualification
1	KEN	Boniface Ontuga MWERESA	0.178	45.91		Q
2	NGR	Samson Oghenewegba NATHANIEL	0.179	46.31		Q
3	GRN	Michael FRANCOIS	0.171	46.35	PB	Q
4	BAR	Kyle GALE	0.186	46.66		q
6	TCA	Ken REYES	0.17	52.92
DQ	PNG	Shadrick TANSI	0.164
DNS	RSA	Zakhiti NENE

Round 1 – Heat 4 – 07:44 UTC-4 – Official
Rank	CGA	Name	Reaction TimeR.T.	Time	Record	Qualification
1	ENG	Matthew HUDSON-SMITH	0.145	46.26		Q
2	NGR	Dubem AMENE	0.148	46.77		Q
3	WAL	Joseph BRIER	0.159	46.84		Q
4	GGY	Cameron CHALMERS	0.191	47.49
5	CMR	Aboubakar Sidick TETNDAP NSANGOU	0.189	48.47
6	IVB	Adriano GUMBS	0.155	48.87
7	SLE	Va-Sheku SHERIFF	0.204	51.1

Round 1 – Heat 5 – 07:52 UTC-4 – Official
Rank	CGA	Name	Reaction TimeR.T.	Time	Record	Qualification
1	ZAM	Muzala SAMUKONGA	0.193	44.89	PB	Q
2	JAM	Jevaughn POWELL	0.16	46.14		Q
3	BAH	Alonzo RUSSELL	0.174	46.41		Q
4	NGR	Sikiru Adewale ADEYEMI	0.213	46.63		q
5	GUY	Arinze CHANCE	0.154	47.63
6	DMA	Derick ST. JEAN	0.159	48.51
7	MAW	Farook MPONDA	0.175	49.12	=PB

Round 1 – Heat 6 – 08:00 UTC-4 – Official
Rank	CGA	Name	Reaction TimeR.T.	Time	Record	Qualification
1	BOT	Zibane NGOZI	0.201	46.34		Q
2	UGA	Haron ADOLI	0.252	46.38		Q
3	LCA	Michael JOSEPH	0.167	47.08		Q
4	TTO	Kashief KING	0.175	48.08
5	GRN	Adain PETERS	0.169	48.96
6	TCA	Angelo GARLAND	0.164	49.46	SB
DQ	KEN	Emmanuel Kipkurui KORIR	0.138

Round 1 – Heat 7 – 08:08 UTC-4 – Official
Rank	CGA	Name	Reaction TimeR.T.	Time	Record	Qualification
1	BAR	Jonathan JONES	0.15	46.39		Q
2	BOT	Anthony PESELA	0.163	46.55		Q
3	ZAM	Kennedy LUCHEMBE	0.17	46.74		Q
4	NAM	Andre RETIEF	0.159	46.95
5	KEN	William RAYIAN	0.235	47.08
6	SGP	Thiruben S/O THANA RAJAN	0.158	48.67
7	MOZ	Edio MUSSACATE	0.166	48.73	PB