A superb run in Sydney yesterday confirmed that Denmark's world champion Wilson Kipketer is ready to make a big play for the Olympic 800 metres title.

Recurring attacks of malaria have at different times put Kipketer's career on hold but on the evidence of his win in the heats in one minute 45.57 seconds, the accomplished Kenyan born athlete is now back in full flow again.

That's a scenario which will intimidate all those with designs on the gold medal, not least the defending champion, Vebjoern Rodal of Norway who contented himself with finishing second in the opening heat.

With the unhurried ease of a man who knew he could succeed any way he pleased, Kipketer allowed his rivals their moments of glory, loping along at the back of the field for the opening 600 metres.

Then, it was time for business and in a breathtaking surge, he was suddenly gone from them, opening up a five-metre gap coming off the last bend. It was a vintage performance by a man who likes to play on the emotions of the crowd and, almost immediately, there was a similar exhibition of cold nerve by the Russian, Yuriy Borzakovskiy.

He had only two runners behind him when he decided to move going down the back straight for the second time. And no less than Kipketer, he judged it to perfection, cruising into top gear between the top two bends to win going away in one minute 45.39 seconds.

South Africa provided two heat winners, Hazekiel Sepeng and Werner Botha. Sepeng, a silver medallist in Atlanta, escaped from some heavy traffic in the middle stages of heat three to relegate Algeria's Adem Hecini to second place in 1.47.46.

James McIlroy, who abandoned his career with Ireland last year to align with Britain, qualified for the 800 metres semi-finals as one of the fastest losers.

Running in the same heat as the reigning titleholder, Rodal, McIlroy took it out for 600 metres but could find nothing extra when first Rodal and later, Andres Longo swept past him.

In terms of enterprise, the Larne man lacked nothing but afterwards he was scathing of his performance. "I ran a terrible race in what has been a terrible year for me," he said.

"I felt I was firing on just three cylinders instead of six and now I have a lot of hard work ahead of me."

Unfortunately David Matthews failed to make the cut, finishing fifth of seven in the heat won by Nils Schumann of Germany in 1.47.76. Matthews was given a time of 1.48.78 after running at the back of the field for most of the journey.

Unsure of his fitness it seemed after a summer fragmented by injuries he didn't put his courage to the test until the home straight when he moved up two places but at that stage it was all too late.

"I thought the Algerian in the race would have made it a fast pace," he said. "Unfortunately, he didn't and affected my chances.

"I know it sounds silly but off a fast pace, I think I could have run 1.46 and that would have been good enough to get me into the next round."

Paddy McGrath, hoping to find something extra on the big occasion, never made an impact in the hammer throwing competition and was eliminated at the qualifying stage.