Olympics: Sprint kings cruise

Aug 04, 2012 |

London

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World record holder Usain Bolt and world champion Yohan Blake stormed onto centre-stage at the Olympics on Saturday as amputee runner Oscar Pistorius and tennis star Serena Williams made history.

Defending 100m champion Bolt clocked 10.09sec in his first round heat for the blue riband event of the Games while Jamaican compatriot Blake timed 10sec.

However, both men were upstaged in front of 80,000 people at the Olympic Stadium by the 9.88sec run by America's Ryan Bailey.

Former Olympic champion Justin Gatlin clocked 9.97sec while Tyson Gay, the world double sprint champion from Osaka in 2007, came through in 10.08sec.

"I expected it, I'm running well, I'm happy, training is great. Reaction was good," said Bolt, whose build-up to the Games had been hit by a number of worrying niggles. "I'm looking forward to the semifinals."

The women's 100m gold will be decided in Saturday's evening session while Jessica Ennis, the poster girl for the Games, was poised for heptathlon gold, opening a 188-point lead with just the 800m to run.

Women's double Olympic polevault champion Yelena Isinbayeva safely negotiated qualifying for Monday's final.

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