Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith built a commanding lead and won her heat of the women’s 100 meters in 10.84 seconds on Saturday at the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene.
Asher-Smith’s time proved the fastest across the seven heats. The next fastest were turned in by Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.87) and Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou (10.92).
All three U.S. sprinters entered in the women’s 100 moved through to the semifinals, with Aleia Hobbs winning her heat in 11.04, Twanisha Terry placing second in her heat in 10.95 and Melissa Jefferson also second in her heat in 11.03.
Oregon Ducks sprinter Kemba Nelson finished third in heat 4, crossing in 11.10, to also move through automatically. Four Jamaican sprinters advanced, with Shericka Jackson (11.02) and Elaine Thompson-Herah (11.15) joining Fraser-Pryce in winning their respective heats.
The semifinals are set for about 5:30 p.m. Sunday, followed by the final at 7:50 p.m. Sunday.