TOKYO, Japan — All three Jamaicans are through to the semi-finals of the men’s 110m hurdles after impressive runs in the first round of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Monday morning (Jamaican time).

Tyler Mason ran a season’s best 13.17 seconds (-0.3m/s) and Orlando Bennett— 13.20 seconds (-0.6m/s) to win their heats and lead the qualifying, while Demario Prince ran 13.31 seconds (0.0m/s) and was fourth in his heat to secure an automatic spot.

Mason, a silver medallist in the World Under 20 championships in 2014 and who ran in lane one, beat Japan’s Rachid Muratake— 13.22 seconds, China’s Junxi Liu, who ran a personal best 13.23 seconds and defending champion Grant Holloway of the United States who finished in 13.27 seconds.

Bennett ran a well-judged race, coming from behind to beat France’s Just Kwaou-Mathey and Italy’s Lorenzo Ndele Simonelli, who were both given 13.25 seconds and Japan’s Shusei Nomoto’s 13.29 seconds.

Prince, in his first major senior championships, was fourth behind Spain’s Enrique Llopis— 13.22 seconds, China’s Zhuoyi Xu— 13.28 seconds and world leader Cordell Tinch— 13.31 seconds.

— Paul A Reid