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Bolt leads way for 100m race

15/08/2008

The world's three fastest men – Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell – have breezed through their 100m heats in Beijing.

Jamaican Powell was fastest of the three with a time of 10.15 seconds, but compatriot Usain Bolt was able to take his foot off the pedal with 20m to go and still cross the line in 10.20.

American sprinter Gay won his heat in the Bird's Nest with a time of 10.22.

Bolt is currently the world record holder for the 100m after clocking a time of 9.72 secs in New York earlier this year, while the three men between them have run the fastest seven times of 2008.

The Games organisers are hopeful one of the three will break Canadian Donovan Bailey's 12-year Olympic record of 9.84 in tomorrow's semi-finals and final.

Team GB will have three representatives in Saturday's semis after Tyrone Edgar, Craig Pickering and Simeon Williamson all qualified.

Edgar, 26, was the pick of the bunch with a time of 10.13 secs.