Usain Bolt punches semi-final ticket at trials

Kingston: World record-holder and Olympic champion Usain Bolt easily booked his semi-final ticket in the men`s 100m at the Jamaican trials for the athletics World Championships on Thursday.

Bolt, who was drawn in lane three in heat one, got a fairly good start and was in control all the way and cruised across the line in 10.00 seconds. He`ll contest the semi-finals on Friday evening, with the final scheduled for later Friday. Bolt false-started in the 100m at the 2011 world championships, and so must earn his world championship berth in the event. He was followed home by Jason Livermore and Jacques Harvey, both timed in 10.07sec. In the final heat, former world record-holder Asafa Powell was a comfortable winner in 10.02. Powell, who came into the contest with doubt over his fitness, said he felt good. "First race in almost a year, it felt good. It was easy," he said as he walked back to the warm-up area. Kemar Bailey-Cole, Bolt`s training partner at Racers, took heat two in 10.04 seconds. Kenroy Anderson in 10.16 and Ramone McKenzie in 10.21 were second and third. Sheldon Mitchell won heat three in 10.11 over Oshane Bailey (10.12) and Nesta Carter (10.17). Reigning world 100-meter champion Yohan Blake withdrew from the trials with a right thigh injury, but as a reigning champion he will still be eligible to run the event in Moscow. AFP