Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico began her defence of the Olympic 100-metre hurdles championship by setting the quickest time in the heats.
American Masai Russell and Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan are two of the competitors competing for her spot. Also in the fray is home favourite Cyrena Samba-Mayela, one of France’s best hopes for an individual track gold medal.
However, Camacho-Quinn proved a formidable opponent and finished in 12.42 seconds. The athlete made sure that she would not allow anyone to take her place.
Highlights of the heats
Nigerian athlete Tobi Amusan was in top form when she arrived at the Stade de France after the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed World Athletics and the World Anti-Doping Agency’s appeals and found her not guilty of a doping rule violation. In her heat, she took the lead around the halfway point and won with ease, finishing with a record 12.49, ahead of American Alaysha Johnson with 12.61.
The Paris crowd erupted in cheers for Cyrena Samba-Mayela, who finished third with a record of 12.56 in another heat. Athlete Masai Russell, who owns the fastest time of the year, tied for first with Nadine Visser of the Netherlands with 12.53.
Ireland’s Sarah Lavin finished second with 12.73 in her heat, while Jamaican Danielle Williams who defeated Camacho-Quinn for the global gold in Budapest the previous year, breezed out of her lane with 12.59.
In the last heat of the day, Jamaican Ackera Nugent crossed the finish line first with a record of 12.65, ahead of Bahamian Devynne Charlton in second place with 12.71.
Source: CNA