Berlin - Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski of Poland needed just one attempt to make the shot put final as the 12th world athletics championships got underway on Saturday.

The season leader Majewski had a big put of 21.19 metres to advance under sunny skies. American title holder Reese Hoffa posted a modest 20.23m but made the 12-man final set for Saturday night as well.

"Of course it was a good feeling to qualify with the first attempt. Now I have to focus on the final. I feel I am in the best shape of my life," said Majewski.

Olympic champion and world record holder Gulnara Galkina of Russia cruised to victory in her 3,000m steeplechase heat in 9 minutes 17.67 minutes.

But compatriot title holder Yekaterina Volkova was a surprise casualty, leaving the Olympic Stadium without a comment after placing only seventh in her race in 9:43.52 minutes.

Fancied Briton Jessica Ennis took an early lead in the women's heptahlon with 1,135 points from a 100m hurdles run of 12.93 seconds, just 12 hundredth shy of her career best time in the event.

Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska of Ukraine was almost a second slower on 13.85 seconds for 1,000 points.

Set for later in the morning session were the men's 100m heats with superstar Usain Bolt of Jamaica and his American rival Tyson Gay, and the first medal event, the men's 20km walk in downtown Berlin.

The evening finals were the men's shot put and the women's 10,000m, without injured world and Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia. (dpa)