The native of Pickering, Ont., will race in the semifinals scheduled for 12:15 p.m. ET.
On Tuesday, Felicien recorded a time of 12.77 seconds to win her qualifying heat and move on to Wednesday's semifinals.
Priscilla Lopes of Whitby, Ont., and Angela Whyte of Edmonton moved on in the 100 hurdles in addition to Felicien, who won the 100-metre crown at the 2003 world championships in Paris.
Perdita Felicien won her qualifying heat in the 100-metre hurdles Tuesday in Helsinki to advance to the semifinals. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)
After the first heat in the women's 100 hurdles all events in progress at the championships were delayed for over an hour due to a torrential downpour with high winds and thunder and lightning.
When the weather calmed, Felicien won the third heat ahead of Nadine Faustin-Parker of Haiti in second at 12.85, Aurelia Trywianska of Poland third in 12.86 and Susanna Kallur of Sweden fourth at 12.87. The top-four from each heat automatically advanced to Wednesday's semifinal.
"It wasn't the greatest race for me but I was just happy to get through and not hurt anything," said Felicien. "But it was great to come out and get a feel for the stadium and for the track. I just hope there's not as much rain tomorrow. There was a lot of indecisiveness on whether we would run or not but I just tried to keep warm and stay professional about it."
In the fourth heat, Brigitte Foster-Hylton of Jamaica was the fastest in 12.64, Kirsten Baulm of Germany second in 12.68, Irina Shevchenko of Russia third in 12.76 while Lopes took fourth in 12.85 to advance.
"My first couple of hurdles went very well then I started to lean up too much," said Lopes.
"I didn't mind the delay too much, it gave me more time to focus although it was a tough spot not knowing whether we would run or not. But in the end, you've done the same race hundreds of time you can't let those things affect you."
In the fifth heat, Olympic champion Joanna Hayes of the U.S., placed first at 12.79 with Linda Ferga-Khodadin of France second in 12.85, Olena Kravsovska of Ukraine third in 12.86 while Whyte posted a season best 12.88 to reach the semis.
"I'd say I'm very pleased considering how my season has gone," said Whyte, sixth at the Athens Olympics. "I've been very inconsistent and hopefully I've put that behind me. I was most pleased at my competitiveness today. But it's going to be cut throat to make the final. I can't afford any hesitation."
Foster-Hylton and Michelle Perry of the U.S., the first heat winner, tied for the fastest time of the day.
with files from Canadian Sport News
