Bolt, Powell cruise to semi-finals at Jamaican trials

Saturday, 22 June 2013 06:35 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: World record holder and Olympic champion Usain Bolt made easy progress into Friday’s semi-finals of the men’s 100 metres at the Jamaican trials for the world championships. Bolt got off to a decent start and took control of heat one by the 40-meter mark before cruising across the finish line in 10.00 seconds on Thursday. Asafa Powell, who had previously failed to complete a competitive race all season due to hamstring problems, enters the semi-finals with the second fastest time after winning heat four in 10.02 seconds. “Happy to complete my first race in a year,” Powell, who had been battling hamstring problems, told Reuters after completing his first competitive race of the season. “It was quite easy.” World champion Yohan Blake, who has a wild-card entry to the Aug 10-18 world championships in Moscow, is not competing in the Jamaican trials. The other top qualifiers are Kemar Bailey-Cole, who recovered from a poor star to take heat two in 10.04, while Sheldon Mitchell won heat three in 10.11. The Jamaican women, minus Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who has a wild-card entry, will begin competing for spots on Jamaica’s team to Moscow on Friday.

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