All three Jamaicans in the men’s 100m gained automatic qualification to Sunday’s semi-finals on Saturday at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson won their first round heats, in 9.99 seconds (0.0m/s) and10.00 seconds (0.6m/s) respectively, while Ackeem Blake was second in his heat in 10.06 seconds (-1.1m/s).

Seville, who is seeking redemption after back-to-back fourth places at the world championships in 2022 and 2023, held off Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown who ran 10.02 for second and also made progress.

Wearing national colours for the first time and running his 11th race of his professional career, Thompson powered to the line ahead of Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati, who was second in 10.08 seconds, and Reynaldo Espinoza of Cuba who was third in 10.11 seconds.

However, it was not all smooth sailing, as the start of the race was delayed as Great Britain’s Jeremiah Azu protested a false start and had to be escorted off the track, while Thompson was shown a green card by an official after a second loud shout at the starting blocks.

Blake, the World Indoors 60m bronze medallist, led almost the entire race before he was caught on the line by South Africa’s Akani Simbine who ran 10.03 seconds with Rikkoi Brathwaite of the British Virgin Islands taking the other qualifying spot with 10.13 seconds.

American Noah Lyles, the reigning 100m world champion, booked his spot in the semi-finals after finishing second in his heat in 10.04 seconds; defending Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs advanced with 10.05 seconds and Zharnel Hughes also progressed after clocking 10.03 seconds.

Former World Champion Fred Kerley and his American teammate Kenny Bednarek both ran 9.97 seconds to lead the qualifiers while Great Britain’s NCAA champion Louie Hinchliffe (9.98 seconds) and Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme (9.98 seconds) were also under 10.00 seconds.

-Paul A Reid