iBet: Back Natalya Antyukh in the 400m hurdles

Olympics, women’s 400m hurdles, starts Sunday

Back Natalya Antyukh

The bookies might be finding it hard to find a favourite in the women’s 400m hurdles which starts on Sunday, but I’m not. You can get 4/1 in places about 2011 World Champion Lashinda Demus and Natalya Antyukh, while on Betfair the pair are split in the betting by Brit Perri Shakes-Drayton, who stormed to a personal best in the wet at the London Grand Prix in a time of 53.78 seconds. Demus of the USA was mighty impressive in winning gold in Deagu last year in just 52.47 seconds, the third fastest time ever. However, she appears to have lost form and it’s Antyukh, third in that race, who catches my eye. She has lots of major championship experience and also has an impressive personal best of under 53 seconds, set two years ago when she won the European Championships in Barcelona. The 31-year-old has kept a typically low profile in the run-up to the Olympics, but proved her fitness a fortnight ago by running the fastest 200m on the flat of her life. Antyukh can be backed at 4.5/1 to win the event on Betfair and around 3/1 with the fixed odds firms offering each way terms for a top three finish.

Betfair gives you better value. To see how much more you can win go towww.betfair.com/betchecker

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