It was business as usual for Usain Bolt as he easily qualified for the semifinals of the men's 100 meters Thursday at the Jamaican Olympic Trials at Kingston's National Stadium. Bolt, who will be seeking a third-straight triple-triple — gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relays — hardly worked up a sweat as he won his second round heat in a pedestrian 10.15 seconds. There were no surprises in either of the men's or women's 100m heats with all the big names advancing to set up what promises to be an explosive Friday evening, when the semis and finals are set to run. The only mild surprise was former world record holder Asafa Powell finishing third in his heat in 10.17 seconds behind 20-year old Jevaughn Minzie (10.15) and Senoj-Jay Givans, who clocked 10.16. Yohan Blake, who complained that his blocks slipped at the start, was an easy winner in his heat at 10.26. Nickel Ashmeade won his heat in the fastest time of the night 10.07, ahead of 200m specialist Warren Weir, who finished in 10.17. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce cruised in her 100m heat to an easy win in 11.38 seconds to beat former NCAA champions Remona Burchell (11.59). Elaine Thompson also clocked 11.38 in her heat while Veronica Campbell-Brown clocked 11.39. Simone Facey won her heat in 11.31 ahead of the veteran Kerron Stewart 11.44, but it was 21-year old Christania Williams trying to make her first senior team who had the fastest time of the night running 11.20. NCAA triple jump champion Clive Pullen, a senior at the University of Arkansas, jumped a personal best 16.90 meters to qualify for the Olympic Games, winning the event. There was one disappointment as 400 meter runner Janieve Russell was a no-show due to an injury. Garth Gayle, general secretary of the Jamaican Athletics Administrative Association, said she had requested a medical exemption that would allow her to make the team if she can prove her fitness in time for the start of the Rio Olympics. Tanui books Olympic spot as Kamworor burns out Paul Tanui won a tough 10,000m race to book his Olympic spot as world half-marathon title-holder Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor and silver medalist Bedan Karoki joined the casualty list at the Kenyan Olympic trials in Eldoret, Kenya, Friday. Tanui, who finished third in the 10,000m at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships, was elated to make the cut for Rio after his win, which was watched by an unusually large crowd at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium. "I am so happy because although I knew I would run well, I did not expect to win and be in the Olympic team," said the 25-year-old, who won in 27 minutes 46.15 seconds ahead of second-placed Charles Yossei. "It is a pleasant surprise to be in the Olympic team, which has always been my dream." Kamworor and Karoki started the race at a searing pace, intermittently exchanging the lead, and it was the 25-year-old Japan-based Karoki who dropped out first in the 10th lap, complaining of body aches. Kamworor, who won the half-marathon races in Cardiff, Lille and Berlin, stayed in lead with Japan-based Tanui and William Malel Sitonik, but with four laps left, he dropped out too. "I suffered stomach cramps and could not just go through," said Kamworor. The 24-year-old Kamworor was in line to get a wild card for the 10,000m team, but has clouded his chances after a row. "We had slotted him for a wild card, but he insisted on a written commitment, which we don't do," said one of the selectors, who did not wish to be named. Yokes Ondieki, who won the 10,000m race at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, said foreign-based athletes need time to acclimatize for such events.
