LIMA, Peru — Olympic champion Elaine Thompson breezed into the final of the women’s 100m at the Pan American Games after winning her heat on Tuesday’s opening day of track and field competition in Lima, Peru.
Thompson clocked 11.36 seconds to win heat two with the fastest time on the day, while beating Vitoria Cristina Rosa of Brazil who ran 11.40 for second place and qualified automatically.
Thompson and countrywoman and training partner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce lead the world this season with identical times of 10.73.
Commonwealth Games champion Michelle-Lee Ahye Trinidad and Tobago won the first heat in 11.37 ahead of Jamaica’s Natasha Morrison (11.59).
Canadian champion Crystal Emmanuel took the third and final heat in 11.48 (-1.1m/s) with Ecuadorian Angela Tenorio taking second in 11.49. American Twanisha Terry was third in 11.59 and also qualified for the final as one of the fastest losers.
Brazil’s Rodrigo Do Nascimento leads the men’s qualifiers heading into the 100m finals with a time of 10.27.
Nascimento ran home ahead of American Michael Rodgers, who was second in the semi-final heat in 10.29.
Paulo Andre Camilo de Oliveira, who won heat 3 in 10.29, was joint the second-fastest qualifiers, while Jamaica’s Rasheed Dwyer was second in the heat in 10.32.
Antiguan sprinter Cejhae Greene won the first heat in 10.31 with USA’s Cravon Gillespie running 10.32 for second place.
Meanwhile, Commonwealth Games champion Fedrick Dacres of Jamaica set a new Pan American Games record with 67.68m to win the men’s discus throw.
He broke the previous championship record of 67.32m, which was set by Cuba’s Luis Delis in August 1983.
Jamaican champion Traves Smikle, the training partner of Dacres, won the silver medal with a throw of 65.02m with USA’s Reginald Jagers III getting the bronze in 64.48.
Natasha Michell Wodak led a Canadian 1-3 finish in the women’s 10,000m after running a Pan American record of 31:55.17 for victory.
Risper Gesabwa of Mexico won the silver with 31:59.00 personal best. Canada’s Lorraine Cliff, who led for most of the race, won the bronze with a time of 32:13.34.