Gay qualifies with Bolt, Powell at Olympic sprints

BEIJING – Tyson Gay showed no ill effects from a lingering hamstring strain Friday, easily qualifying for the Olympic 100-meter quarterfinals along with Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell. Gay's reassuring performance under unusually blue and sunny skies kept the games on track for a defining three-way battle for gold in the sport's marquee event on Saturday. The world champion got injured at the U.S. trials six weeks ago and had not run competitively since, raising doubts about his fitness. Under the Olympic flame and in front of 91,000 fans at the Bird's Nest, he looked like the Gay of old. He briefly glanced at his time of 10.22 seconds after crossing the line and headed for the exit with his usual swagger. "It feels good," Gay said. "My body is woke up." Bolt, the world record-holder with a canary yellow shirt flapping loosely in the humid air, had time to glance at his opponents well before winning his heat in 10.20. Powell took it just as easy in the 26 degree C (79 degree F) early morning heat, coasting into the quarterfinals in 10.16. All eyes, however, were on Gay, who injured himself trying to qualify for the 200 at the U.S. trials and had canceled all of his races since. Even if he came through the heats fine, Gay faces three more intense races in the next 36 hours, increasingly testing his physical resistance. His last race had been a wind-aided 9.68, the fastest time ever even though it could not be ratified as a record. Unlike Gay, Bolt is going for a sprint double and, considering the strength of the Jamaican team, could end with three golds after the 4x100 relay. In its battle with China to top the overall medal standings, the U.S. team will need any piece of precious metal it can get and the shot putters could add three by Friday night. "It's going to be an awesome event," said Adam Nelson, who threw 20.56 meters despite a rib cage injury. Christian Cantwell went through with 20.48 and world champion Reese Hoffa had 20.41. Nelson hurt a muscle on Monday and complained about breathing difficulties. "If I breathe or turn the wrong way, it bothers me," the silver medalist of the last two Olympics said. "Tonight is when the show starts." Tomasz Majewski of Poland had the top throw of 21.04 to go through. Friday's only other final is the women's 10,000 meters, where world champion Tirunesh Dibaba is expected to give Ethiopia its first gold. In the absence of Olympic and world champion Carolina Kluft of Sweden, the heptathlon is billed as a grudge match between Lyudmyla Blonska of Ukraine and Kelly Sotherton of Britain. Blonska was banned for doping between 2003-05 but came back strongly since to take silver behind Kluft at last year's world championships, beating the Brit. Sotherton has made no secret of her dislike of the Ukrainian, giving her the cold shoulder whenever possible. The Briton had the best start to the seven-event competition, setting a time of 13.18 seconds in the 100 hurdles, holding off Blonska by .11 seconds. The high jump, shot put and 200 meters were set for later Friday. In the women's 800, Kenyans Pamela Jelimo and Janeth Jepkosgei breezed through into Saturday's semifinals, easily winning their heats. The showdown between the two in Monday's final is one of the most anticipated races of the games. As usual, Jepkosgei was a front-runner from the starting gun to dominate her heat. "This is what I needed. I needed to know about my body," the world champion said. Jelimo, who had dominated the season coming into Beijing, bided her time until the final lap before kicking with consummate ease to go through. "I've done what I need to do. It's important just to be there at this moment," Jelimo said. "I'm through to the semifinals, that's the main thing." Sydney 2000 Olympic champion Maria Mutola is in her final major competition before retiring at the end of the year, but still had the fastest qualifying time of 1:58.91. – AP