The top four runners in each of the initial 5 heats automatically qualified for the semifinals. The next four fastest runners from across the heats also qualified. There were three semifinal heats, and only the top two from each heat plus the next two fastest runners advanced to the final.
Summary
Olympic champion Joanna Hayes was out the fastest, gaining about a foot over the first barrier. That advantage didn't last long as there were six women dead even over the second. By the third hurdle Michelle Perry had emerged with a fractional lead. By the fourth, Delloreen Ennis-London began to separate by inches from the wall as Mariya Koroteyeva and Kirsten Bolm began to lose ground. Ennis-London was much faster to the sixth hurdle, capturing a slight lead. Running virtually stride for stride, immediately to Ennis-London's left, Hayes also pulled even with Perry, with Brigitte Foster-Hylton just inches behind the three. But Ennis-London lost her quick snap over the hurdles, instead gliding, relinquishing her hold on the lead while Hayes again was matching Perry stride for stride until Hayes hooked the ninth hurdle. She lost her balance between hurdles so much she never jumped the tenth hurdle, instead carrying it some seven metres down the track before pushing it away and striding over the finish line in last. With her last challenger suddenly out of the race, Perry ran in to the finish with a 1-metre lead over Ennis-London, who was less than a half metre ahead of her teammate Foster-Hylton across the line for silver.
All times shown are in seconds. Q denotes qualification by place. q denotes qualification by time. DNS denotes did not start. DNF denotes did not finish. AR denotes area record NR denotes national record. PB denotes personal best. SB denotes season's best.
