BEIJING, China, Sporting Alert – American sprinter Allyson Felix starts as the 8/15 favourite to win the women’s 400m title at the IAAF World Championships on Thursday, according to Sky Bet.
Felix, who opted to step up from running the 200m and race over the longer sprint event at these championships, posted time of 49.89 seconds to lead all the qualifiers heading into the final and Sky Bet is backing the USA champion to deliver at her first time running the open event at a major championships.
At the same time though Felix is expected to be challenged by Bahamian Shaunae Miller, who is being backed at 9/4 to become only the second woman from her country to win the 400m at the world championships.
Miller, although not breaking the 50-seconds barrier in the qualifiers, also looked very comfortable when winning her semi-finals in 50.12 secs.
The 21-year-old has a seasonal and personal best time of 49.92 and she is expected to go below that mark in the decider.
The race is set to be dominated by Miller and Felix, based on early form, but a few other women in the field are capable of breaking up the favourites.
Defending champion Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain, who won the Olympic title inside this same stadium in 2008, is one of the main contenders for the gold medal as well.
Ohuruogu, who won her semi-final heat with a time of 50.16 is 9/1 to strike gold, while Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, who dropped her personal best to 50.03 in the semis, is 16/1 to upset the field and win the gold medal outright.
Sky Bet has Commonwealth Games champion Stephenie Ann McPherson of at 33/1, her countrywomen Novlene Williams-Mills at 100/1 and Christine Day at 100/1, while American Phyllis Francis, who qualified for the final with the eighth-fastest time, is 150/1 to land the gold medal.
Despite the odds, I believe Shaunae Miller will pull this one off over Allyson Felix, while Christine Ohuruogu’s championships experienced will see her taking the bronze medal.
However, should the Britain star fail to get going early, then that could open the door for someone like Shericka Jackson to sneak in and collect one of the top three places.
SKY BET Gold Medal Winner
Allyson Felix 8/15
Shaunae Miller 9/4
Christine Ohuruogu 9/1
Shericka Jackson 16/1
Stephenie Ann McPherson 33/1
Novlene Williams-Mills 100/1
Christine Day 100/1
Phyllis Francis 150/1
