Bolt and Blake off to winning start in Rio

File Photo: Yohan Blake ran 10.11s in heat 6 of the men’s 100m in Rio to advance to the semi-finals.

Jamaica’s athletes continued their quest for medals as action got going on day two of athletics at the xxxi Olympiad happening in the Brazilian capital Rio De Janeiro. seven of the eight athletes in action made progress to the next round of their respective events.

Defending Olympic 100m champion and world record holder Usain Bolt was treated to a rousing welcome from the crowd as he entered the stadium, before easily wrapping the penultimate heat of the Men’s 100m in 10.07 seconds ahead of former Jamaican, now representing Bahrain, Andrew Fisher 10.12 seconds and Great Britain’s James Dasolu 10.18 seconds. Both men will once again lock horns in the second of three semifinals, which also includes Canada’s Andre Degrasse (10.04) and USA’s Trayvon Brommel (10.13).

Yohan Blake was effortless, as he cruised to 10.11 seconds, winning heat six ahead of Turkey’s Jak Ali Harvey 10.14 seconds. He will do battle with USA’ s Justin Gatlin who qualified fastest to the semifinals in 10.02 seconds. Bahrain Kemarley Brown who gave a creditable performance to win heat one in 10.13 is also listed for that semifinals.

Nikel Ashmeade (10.18) was piped at the lined by a fast finishing Chinese athlete, Zhenye Xie who won heat three in a new personal best of 10.08 seconds and will seek to reverse that order as they are drawn together in semifinal one. The field is completed by Ivory Coast’s Ben Youseff Meite (10.03) and South Africa’s Akani Sambine (10.14) who both won their respective heats. Harvey and French champion Jimmy Vicaut will be among the starters for that race.

All three Jamaican female 400m runners progressed to the semifinals with victory in their respective heats.

National Champion Stephenie Ann McPherson won heat one in 51.36 seconds and will line up in semifinal one against the likes of USA’s Phyllis Francis, Bahrain’s Oluwakemi Adekoya and Great Britain’s Christine Ohuruogu.

Shericka Jackson who won heat seven will compete in semifinal two, up against the USA’s Natasha Hastings, Canada’s Carline Muir and French Athlete Floria Guei.

Christine Day who secured her heat in 51.54 seconds will have a stern test when she lines up against pre-race favorites Bahamian Shaunae Miller and USA’s Allyson Felix along with Zambian Kabange Mupopo.

Kimberley Williams qualified for the final of the Women’s Triple Jump with a mark of 14.22 m, but it was the end of the road for Shanieka Thomas whose best effort of 14.02m placed her fourteenth overall which was not good enough to see her close to the 14.30 m qualifying mark or a top twelve finish..

Columbia’s Catherine Ibaurgen led all qualifiers with 14.52 m, in her first and only attempt of the competition.

Jamaica’s Aisha Praught suffered a misfortune in the women’s 3000 m steeplechase, where she obstructed and fell on the penultimate lap but rallied to finished eighth in her heat with a time of 9:35.79 seconds. She will however line up in the final courtesy of a successful protest that was lodged after the race.

The afternoon session which is scheduled to start at Jamaica time will feature the highly anticipated women’s 100m semi finals and final. National record holder Damar Forbes will also contest the finals of the Men’s long.