Bermuda athletics coach DeVon Bean has commended Caitlyn Bobb, the island’s sole competitor at the World Athletics Championships, for running an incredible 51.72sec in the women’s 400 metres heats in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday.

Running in lane four of heat three, Bobb was up against some of the world’s top athletes such as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the gold medal-winner in the event at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.

American McLaughlin-Levrone won the heat in 49.41 to secure qualification for the semi-finals together with Martina Weil, from Chile, and Kenyan Mercy Oketch.

Bobb’s time, faster than the 52.14 she ran to secure silver at the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, Paraguay last month, placed her fifth in the heat and 29th overall. With 24 athletes qualifying for the semi-finals to be run on Tuesday, Bobb just missed out on progression to the next round.

“Caitlyn ran a fantastic race,” Bean said.

“She held her own against some of the top athletes in the world. She showed that she belongs on the world stage and is ready for the next step in her athletics career.”

Despite being out of medal contention, it was a remarkable effort from the rising track star as her time was quicker than plenty of those ranked ahead of her. Bobb, who has a best of 51.11, went into her maiden World Championships as the 75th best runner in the 400.

Some of the notable runners Bobb eclipsed include Gabby Scott, of Puerto Rico, Brazil’s Tiffani Marinho and Miranda Coetzee, from South Africa.

The 22-year-old was the first Bermudian woman to compete at the World Championships since 2013, when Olympian Arantxa King exhibited her long jump prowess in Moscow, Russia.