KINSTON, Jamaica – Asafa Powell, Nickel Ashmeade, Yohan Blake and Kemar Bailey-Cole have been packed in a loaded second semifinal of the men’s 100m at the Olympic Trials in Jamaica.
With only the top three finishers from each heat assured of a place in the final, one of these world-class sprinters will have to wait to see if they qualify as one of the fastest losers on time.
Ashmeade qualified for the semis with the fastest time of 10.07 seconds Thursday night and looked easy when beating Warren Weir (10.17).
Blake, who is fully back from injury, clocked the same time as his training partner and Commonwealth Game champion Bailey-Cole in his quarterfinal heat, while Powell was third in his heat, although looking very comfortable when shutting down in the closing metres.
All four runners should make it into the final.
Meanwhile, Usain Bolt has been presented with a less hectic semifinal heat, but the world record holder will have to push a little harder than he did in the quarterfinals on Thursday night.
The six-time Olympic Games gold medallist who ran 10.15 to win a night ago, races from lane 4 in the first semifinal.
Bolt will matchup against training partner and Olympic 200m bronze medallist Warren Weir, as well as Senoj-Jay Givans and Jevaughn Minzie, who both defeated Powell in the quarterfinals on Thursday night.
Early Test For Fraser-Pryce
In the women’s semifinals, meanwhile, twice Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will go head-to-head with training mate Elaine Thompson in the first of the three races.
Veteran Kerron Stewart and Remona Burchell are among the challengers.
The second semis will feature twice Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campball-Brown, who will face Simone Facey, Natasha Morrison and Samantha Henry-Robinson.
Semifinal heat 3 will include Christania Williams, who was the quickest in the heats last night, as well as the improve Audra Segree, Kali Davis-White and Gayon Evans.
