KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's Nick Willis battled through oppressive heat in Osaka, Japan, today to qualify for the semifinals of the 1500 metres at the world athletics championships.
Willis finished seventh in his heat, one of three on the opening day of the championships that were run in extremely hot and humid conditions.
Willis recorded the fastest of the extra six fastest qualifying times, running three minutes, 40.18 seconds.
"The weather was a factor. I didn't think the heat would be a bigger factor, (but) even before the race, people were sweating a bunch," Willis said.
Willis started as he had planned, moving up from the rear of the field with 600m remaining.
The Commonwealth Games champion was challenged by eventual winner, Mehdi Baala, of France, down the back straight. Into the final straight, Willis was unable to hold a top six placing.
"No one wanted to be aggressive, and you can tell by the times that I was the fastest qualifier in the non-top six and I didn't break 3min 40sec," Willis said.
"I ran the exact race that I wanted to execute I just wasn't able to finish it off, and now I think I want to go off and throw up somewhere," he added.
Baala, who clocked 3min 38.65sec, had the fastest time of the three heats.
New Zealand's other 1500m hopeful, Gareth Hyett, did not make it into the semifinals after finishing 11th in his heat in 3min 45.70sec.
Despite running the final 200m in 27.5sec, Hyett was unable to make any impression over the final 100m.
The 1500m semifinals will be run on Monday night.
- NZPA
