Michelle Jenneke embraced the challenge of going head to head with new world record holder Tobi Amusan as she powered into the 100m hurdles final at the Commonwealth Games.
A rejuvenated Jenneke continued on from her impressive display at the recent world championships, clocking a flying 12.63 seconds to ease into Sunday's final.
Jenneke led Amusan over the first three hurdles of their heat before the Nigerian went up a gear to win in 12.40.
It was the Australian's fastest-ever time but won't count as a personal best because the tailwind was above the legal limit of 2m per second.
Australia will have two representatives in the final after Celeste Mucci equalled her PB of 12.96 to claim the last available spot.
"I felt really good in warm-up, my coach was saying I look a little bit better than a few weeks ago which is pretty incredible," the 29-year-old Jenneke said.
"I think that I struggled a little bit with the travel.
"After my race at Eugene I was on a bus at 3am to go to Portland to travel over here so it has taken a little while for the body to feel OK again.
"I don't feel like I really ran through the end all that well so hopefully I have got a little bit more to give in the final."
The gold-medal race on Sunday will be one of the strongest on the Games program, including world record holder Amusan and three other women who contested the final at the world titles in Eugene.
"(Amusan) is incredible," Jenneke said.
"I am one of those people, I don't want an easy heat, I want to be racing the best.
"I think that is how I get the best out of myself, which I think I proved today by running that time.
"I am really looking forward to racing her again in the final."
Running competitively for the first time since being laid low by COVID-19, Jessica Hull was pleased to book a spot in the women's 1500m final.
Hull was fourth in her heat in 4:16.13, with the prospect of better to come in Sunday's final.
"It's as good as can be expected," said the national record holder, who was flat on her back for five days after contracting the virus in late July.
"I didn't know what I was working with today.
"I was keen to just sit in and go for the ride.
"I'll be way better for having a race in my legs."
Fellow Australians Linden Hall and Abbey Caldwell - who was controversially left out of the world championships squad despite winning the national title and meeting the qualifying mark - also booked spots in the 1500m final.
"There are always going to be sides to it where you have highs and lows and you have to just ride them as they are," said Caldwell, who was second in her heat in 4:13.59.
"As hard as it was (not to get the chance to run in Eugene) it made me a bit more hungry and made me eager to really get the best out of myself."
National record holder and 2018 Games silver medallist Brooke Buschkuehl (6.84m) qualified in second spot for the women's long jump final, but fellow Australian Samantha Dale (6.02m) was eliminated.
