All three Jamaicans are through to the semi-finals of the 110m hurdles at the Paris Olympics but defending champion Hansle Parchment only just got in, avoiding the repechage round.

Orlando Bennett was the fastest of the Jamaicans, taking second in his heat in 13.35 seconds (0.0m/s), behind African champion Louis Francois Mendy of Senegal who clocked 13.31 seconds, with Belgium’s Michael Obassuyi third in 13.41 seconds.

Rasheed Broadbell finished second in his heat, running 13.42 seconds (0.7m/s) well behind American gold medal favourite Grant Holloway who won in 13.01 seconds, the fastest of the day with France’s World Under 20 champion Sasha Zhoya third in 13.43 seconds.

Parchment got off to a slow start and ended up fifth in a competitive race, running 13.43 seconds (1.1m/s), the same time given to four other runners in the heat which was won by China’s Zhuoyi Xu in 13.40 seconds.

Parchment only advanced with the last qualifying mark, just missing the repechage round by two hundredths of a second.

American Freddie Crittenden, the second fastest man this year with 12.93 seconds, will have to go through the repechage round after he finished at the back of his heat in 18.27 seconds, appearing to have misjudged the start and never getting into a rhythm.

-Paul A Reid