Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn kicked off her defense of the Olympic 100 meters hurdles title by recording the fastest time in the heats, ensuring a spot in the semi-finals alongside all the top contenders.
Nigeria’s world record holder Tobi Amusan and American Masai Russell are among those challenging her for the title, while French athlete Cyrena Samba-Mayela is a strong contender for an individual gold.
Camacho-Quinn demonstrated her determination to retain her title by clearing the hurdles in 12.42 seconds, finishing three-tenths of a second ahead of Britain’s Cindy Sember.
The top three finishers in each heat, along with the next fastest three across all heats, advanced to the semi-finals.
“I just had to talk to myself, get myself ready. I knew what I was capable of, so I just wanted to go out there and enjoy myself,” Camacho-Quinn told reporters.”It’s a great feeling. I wasn’t running all out to run 12.42.”
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Amusan arrived in peak condition at the Stade de France after the Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared her of an anti-doping rule violation weeks before the Games kicked off, rejecting appeals from World Athletics and the World Anti-Doping Agency.
She took the lead in her heat at about the halfway mark and easily cruised through the finish in 12.49, while American Alaysha Johnson (12.61) was second.
Russell, who has the fastest time of the year, tuned out the noise to tie for first with the Netherlands’ Nadine Visser in 12.53 as the Paris crowd cheered wildly for Samba-Mayela (12.56), who finished third to reach Friday’s semi-final.
Jamaican Danielle Williams (12.59), who beat Camacho-Quinn for world gold in Budapest last year, made easy work of her heat out of lane nine, as Ireland’s Sarah Lavin was second in 12.73.
Ackera Nugent of Jamaica crossed the line in the final heat of the day in 12.65 ahead of Bahamian Devynne Charlton (12.71) in second.