Heyward eases through to one-mile finalpublished at 11:59 BST 29 July
Image source, Getty ImagesWelsh record holder Jake Heyward eased through his heat in third place to qualify for Saturday night's one-mile final.
Heyward ran the third-fastest overall time in 3:54.18, with his heat substantially quicker than the one won by world record holder and home favourite Josh Kerr.
Heyward said it was "a comfortable qualification."
"It feels amazing, honestly. I think the most important thing and the best thing for me is that my body's healthy," he added.
"When I'm on the track, it's smooth, it's relaxed, I don't have to try to muscle my way through anything."
Heyward had double Achilles surgery and did not run for 20 months before making his return at the start of the year.
"Even though I've only been training since January, I can actually be myself and express myself on the track," he said.
Heyward believes he can mount a significant challenge in the final: "I think I'm coming in under the radar.
"The other guys are probably going to be looking at other people, which is fair enough, and I can use that to my advantage."
Also in action on the track on Wednesday morning was Abigail Pawlett in the 200m.
Pawlett finished fourth in her heat with a time of 24.60 seconds - which is 1.59 seconds slower than her personal best - in her first race of the year
"It's been a really difficult year," she said, having also struggled with an Achilles issue.
"I knew I wasn't going to come here with fireworks, having been quite injured and only got out of a boot a few months ago, so it's been a bit of a race against the clock to be here.
"I wanted to do what I could to be here on the start line, representing Wales, so all in all I can't be too disappointed.
"It wasn't a good race for me but it's probably a reflection of where I'm at since that Achilles issue; it kind of catapulted into a few more things than trying to get back sprinting."
And Pawlett says she was frustrated that she was unable to compete for a podium spot in the heptathlon.
"I knew I wasn't going to have time for heptathlon so to get back sprinting in a short period has been really tough," she said.
"I know that if I was in the heptathlon I'd have been going for a medal.
"I've got to back myself; I think I would have, but I couldn't do that.
"I wanted to say thanks to Welsh Athletics for the backing and support they've given me over the past two years."

























