Riley Day through to 200m semis in Tokyo
Australian Riley Day has pledged to "absolutely floor it" in her audacious bid to claim a spot in the women's 200m final on her Olympic debut.
In her first Olympics, Day overcame some pre-race nerves to claim the third automatic qualifying spot in her opening-round heat on Monday morning.
The Queenslander's time of 22.94 seconds was solid rather than spectacular, with the prospect of better to come in the semi-finals on Monday evening.
"I was trying to just remember that it is just a race," the 21-year-old Day told the Seven Network.
"The Olympics isn't going to change how fit I am, how fast I am and how well I run.
"If anything it can make me lift even more, so I feel a lot more relaxed now that the first run is over.
"I know how everything works and I can just leave it all on the track tonight."
Day said her mindset in the semis was to "absolutely floor it to the end and see if I can make the final".
The biggest casualty in the heats was 100m bronze medallist Shericka Jackson from Jamaica, who paid a heavy price for taking it too easy and was edged into fourth spot.
It ended Jamica's hopes of replicating their women's 100m medal sweep in the half-lap event, although countrywomen Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce should again be right in contention for podium finishes.
The fastest qualifier was Namibian teenager Christine Mboma in 22.11.
Mboma is better known as a 400m runner, but is among the group of women banned by World Athletics from competing in races between 400 metres and one mile unless they agree to take medication to reduce their high natural testosterone levels.
It is the same rule that prevented South African Caster Semenya from chasing a third successive Olympic 800m title in Tokyo.
