The event, closing the morning session of Athletics’ Day II was the men’s 100m with the Caribbean big man, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt.
It was the one, around which so much attention is surrounded at the Rio Olympics and it saw the live triple triple sprint prospect, lead the region’s campaign to advance to the semi-finals, winning heat 7 in a relaxed and controlled 10.07.
His only reaction to lesser mortals around him, was to glance over at the finish to make sure he was ahead of Jamaican, turned Bahrainian, Andrew Fisher, who took 2nd with 10.12 to qualify automatically – the advance format, being first 2 and 8 fastest losers.
Also booking a place into Sunday’s semi-final round is Jamaican national champion and double London Olympic silver medallist Yohan Blake, who ran 10.11 secs for first place in heat 6.
Other automatic Caribbean athletes to advance, were, Antigua & Barbuda’s Daniel Bailey with his 2nd in heat 2, clocking 10.20 and Nickel Ashmeade of Jamaica, 2nd in heat 7, 10.13.
Other Jamaicans, running for adopted countries, also making it as first two finishers, were Kemarley Brown of Bahrain taking the first heat in 10.13 and Turkey’s Jak Ali Harvey, who was 2nd in heat 6, 10.14.
The only provisional qualifier in the region’s lot, noted on results sheet with a small q, was 2003 world champion, 40 year old Kittitian, Kim Collins, who placed 4th in heat 3 with 10.18.
The unlucky Caribbean athletes whose 100m campaign, came to an abrupt end, this morning, are Adrian Griffith (BAR), 8th in heat 1, 10.53, Jahvid Best (LCA), 7TH in heat 7, 10.39, Kemar Hyman (CAY), 7TH in heat 3, 10.34, Antoine Adams (SKN), 8th in heat 6, 10.39, Cejhae Greene (BAH), 4th in heat 5, 10.20, Ron Sorrillo (TTO), 3rd in heat 2, 10.23, Jamal Rolle (BAH), 8th in heat 4, 10.68 and Keston Bledman (TTO), 5th in heat 5, 10.20.
