The Olympic silver medalist Matt Hudson-Smith is in a race against the time to be the semi-finals of the World Athletics Championships too fit after a hip injury has influenced its performance in the first round.
The Wolverhampton Sprinter came to this event among the favorites for gold, but fought in the Japan National Stadium and became fourth in a time of 44.68 seconds.
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Botswanas Bayapo Ndori won the heat in 44.36s, while Japan’s Yuki Joseph Nakajima set a new national record of 44.44 seconds.
Jamaica’s Bovel McPherson has thrown Hudson-Smith the final automatic qualification location to set a personal best 44.51, with the 30-year-old as one of the fastest losers for the semi-finals on Tuesday.
Read more: Matt Hudson-Smith’s secret motivator looking for gold championship, which is difficult to grasp,
Hudson-Smith seemed to be in a strong position when he just entered the house, but the gas was missing, which was necessary to keep the top three steps.
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He appeared when he saw the result and was on the track for a few minutes before limping to the sidelines.
“It felt flat and my hips are a bit doubtful,” said Hudson-Smith, who lived the five-snap time in the 400 m history in history last summer.
“I ran and felt ‘Oh no, my hips didn’t feel good.
“I went through it, but it hurt man. I don’t know – I really don’t know, I literally had nothing. It’s strange.”
With the American Olympic Champion Quincy Hall, which is not here this week, the 400 meter seems to be one of the most open races in Tokyo.
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Hudson-Smith has been running for the first time three weeks ago.
In the structure, he said that he was guilty of not being at home so soon after the birth of his daughter, but ran for her.
He hopes to complete the medals of the World Cup after winning silver in Budapest two years ago, and bronze in Eugene a year earlier.
The semi -finals will take place in Great Britain on Tuesday from 1 p.m. and will contain a total of three British athletes.
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Hudson-Smith is accompanied by Colchester Sprinter Charlie Dobson, who beat him to win the Diamond League event in London in July and indicated a smoldering rivalry.
“I will have him answered if he wants,” he said before these championships.
“There will always be a bit [of rivalry] If you run two British athletes quickly over the same distance.
“Matt was at the top of the game for much longer, so he has a lot more experience and has a significantly faster PB in fairness.”
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Dobson narrowly missed the Olympic Finale last summer, but is confident that Sam Rearardon will complete the set.
Follow all action of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 on BBC.