Bolt, Bailey-Cole, Carter, Ashmeade through to 100m semis
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s Kemar Bailey-Cole facing the starter in Heat 1 of the 100m won in an easy 10.02 from Christophe Lemaitre of France (10.12) as the World Championships wind down the first day of competition in Moscow, Russia.
But spectators and viewers worldwide had to wait until the final Heat 7 to see world’s greatest sprinter Usain Bolt take his Heat in an easy 10.07.
Nesta Carter, the second Jamaican on the track (10.17) strolled Heat 2, with Churandy Martina (10.17) of Holland second. Gavin Smellie of Canada was third.
Justin Gatlin (9.99) took Heat 3 over Ketson Bledman of Trinidad with Dwayne Chambers of the UK in third.
Peiming Zhang equalled the Chinese national record (10.04) to win Heat 4 with Trinidad’s Richard Thompson (10.14) in second.
France’s Jimmy Vicaut won Heat 5 ahead of Aaron Brown of Canada.
In Heat 6 Nickel Ashmeade, the fourth Jamaican in the 100m was run into second place as American Mike Rodgers clocked a fast 9.98 to win.
The first three in each Heat automatically go through to the semi-finals on Sunday along with the three fastest finishers.