U.S. Runners Advance In 100M

BEIJING, Aug. 16 -- American Tyson Gay did not look dominant in the second round of the 100 meters Friday night, but he easily advanced to the semifinals with a second-place finish in his heat in 10.09 seconds. Gay, who suffered a slightly strained left hamstring July 5 and hadn't raced before his first-round heat Friday morning, seemed to struggle to keep up with Trinidad and Tobago's Richard Thompson, who finished first in 9.99.

Gay, however, eased up at the finish.

"I felt good and relaxed," said Gay, who drew Lane 9 for the semifinals. "I just wanted to make it through."

Usain Bolt, meantime, cruised to the night's fastest time of 9.92 seconds with a seemingly effortless run. The world record holder, Bolt for the second straight race looked around with great interest to make sure he was leading his heat, and still crushed the field. American Darvis Patton finished a distant second in 10.04 seconds.

"I just ran the first 50 meters, then I looked around to make sure I was safe and I shut it off," Bolt said. "I think I did well. I got my stride back."

Jamaican Asafa Powell, the other favorite in the 100, won his heat in 10.02 seconds. American Walter Dix (10.08) also advanced.

The semifinals and final take place Saturday night.

All three American entrants cruised through the first round of the women's 100 Saturday morning, Torri Edwards won her heat in 11.26 seconds; reigning Olympic silver medal winner Lauryn Williams eased up to finish second in her heat in 11.38; and Muna Lee won her heat in 11.33.

In the women's 400, American Sanya Richards won her first-round heat easily with a time of 50.54 seconds. American Mary Wineberg also advanced with a second-place finish in her heat of 51.46; Deedee Trotter, who finished fourth in her heat in a time of 51.41, qualified for the second round . . . .

American Hyleas Fountain, who led the heptathlon after four events with 4,060 points, averted disaster in the long jump Saturday morning on her third attempt. Fountain had fouled on her first two jumps, so she faced the possibility of earning no points for the event if she fouled on the third.

On her final jump, she took off about six inches in front of the board and came through with a legal leap of 20 feet, 11.25 inches -- nearly two feet short of her personal best.

The event dropped her behind Ukraine's Nataliia Dobrynska by 16 points after five events. Pole vaulter Jenn Stuczynski needed just one vault to advance in qualifying; she hit 14 feet 9 inches.World champion Bernard Lagat and Olympic rookies Lopez Lomong and Leonel Manzano advanced in the first round of the men's 1,500 meters.