Athletics: Angie Petty through to 800m semis in Beijing

Cantabrian Angie Petty, who won the gold medal in the women's 800m at the 2015 World University Games, Gwangju, South Korea in July. Photo / Murray Finch

New Zealand runner Angie Petty is through to the 800m semifinal at the world athletics championships in Beijing.

Petty, the world university games 800m champion, finished fourth and advanced as one of the six fastest losers today, clocking 2min 00.62s in her heat, which was won by Morocco's Rababe Arafi in 2:00.37.

The 24-year-old Petty's time was almost the same as her fourth placing in the heats at Moscow two years ago, when Petty missed out on the semifinals.

The first three across the line automatically qualified. Petty was second closing in on the finish but was passed by Canada's Fiona Benson and American Brenda Martinez. Cut an anxious wait.

"I was really nervous waiting on the other three heats to see if I made it, I started to have tears in my eyes as I didn't know until that last heat, I'm just so rapt, it's a dream come true," said a delighted Petty.

The four times New Zealand 800m champion was not happy that she didn't hold it right to the finish.

"I'm gutted as to how it finished, I thought I would have had more left, it always takes me that first round to get going which is not ideal so I'm hoping I'll be a way better tomorrow."

Petty knows she'll need to go under 2min in the semifinal if she's to have a chance of making the final.

Her semifinal is tomorrow.