Usain Bolt runs hot in 100 metre heats, Aussie women make track history

IT was a nice lunchtime stroll for Usain Bolt as he ticked off the opening round of the men’s 100m while the Aussies showed they were also on track.

Usain Bolt (C) of Jamaica, Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago (R) and James Dasaolu of Great Britain (L) compete in the Men's 100m heats.

IT was a nice lunchtime stroll for the world’s fastest man as Usain Bolt ticked off the opening round of the men’s 100m.

The six-time Olympic champion jogged down the straight in the Olympic Stadium, clocking a leisurely 10.07 sec.

Bolt spent most of the time acknowledging the large crowd who had turned up for his first appearance on the track.

The Jamaican was slow away but spent the last 15 metres of the race looking over at Andrew Fisher, from Bahrain, who was trying his hardest a couple of lanes over to take the win.

Bolt’s main rival for Sunday night’s final, American Justin Gatlin, clocked 10.01 sec to cruise through an earlier heat.

(L — R) Britain's James Dasaolu, Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Trinidad and Tobago's Richard Thompson burst from the blocks during their heat of the men’s 100 metres.

It was a good morning for Australia with Genevieve LaCaze and Madeline Heiner-Hills becoming the first Australians to make it through to an Olympic 3000m steeplechase final.

In the 400m heats Morgan Mitchell capped off her brilliant season by making the semi-finals after finishing second in her heat while her teammate Anneliese Rubie also got through in the second-last spot of fastest qualifiers.

Mitchell went close to her personal best, clocking 51.30 sec in finishing second to Shaunae Miller from the Bahamas.

“I’m pretty happy with it,” she said. “I felt quite flat, it was just felt like another training run in a few areas hopefully I can fix them up tomorrow.

“It’s another box ticked. It’s amazing there were a few Aussies on the start line cheering you on so that was cool, but it is still a surreal feeling. I don’t even think it has hit me yet, it’s hard to believe you’re running in the Olympics.”

(R) Genevieve LaCaze of Australia competes in the Women's 3000 metre Steeplechase round one.

Rubie closed late for third in her heat clocking a season’s best 51.92 sec.

The third steeplechase heat was marred by a pile up with two laps to go involving Ethiopian Etenesh Diro who stopped suddenly when she lost a shoe.

Luckily for LaCaze she was able to sidestep the trouble and from there was strong to the line finishing second in 9min 26.25 seconds behind Kenya’s Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi.

“It just looked like she stopped and was like a roadblock,” LaCaze said. “Someone has gone over one of the hurdles, come down and pulled the heel out of her shoe.

“And instead of peeling off, she just stopped and was a roadblock for about four girls. I ran into the back of her but was able to get around.

“I think the race was pretty much decided from then on, it really opened up, pace picked up a lot. I just waited for my time to go and took that opportunity.”

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LaCaze has enjoyed an extraordinary season with 10 personal bests in a number of events.

“I’ve got to be grateful for the year I’ve had but I thought maybe I’ve had that year so it ends early,” she said.

“Then I thought there’s no reason for that. If my year has gone to plan so far why not aim high.”

Heiner-Hills was in the fastest heat of the morning which meant she progressed after finishing fifth in 9:24.16 sec.

She was pleased to get through given three weeks ago she pulled out of a race in London because of a foot injury.

“It’s been a tough and you couldn’t ask for a better outcome,” Heiner-Hills said.

Originally published as Usain Bolt runs hot in 100 metre heats, Aussie women make track history