Athletics - Gatlin and Gay Cruise in US qualifying... Bolt, Powell qualify for the semi-finals at Jamaican trials

Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin cruised through the opening round of the 100 metres at the US trials as America's top sprinters launched their bids for August's world championships.



Former world champion Gay, the year's fastest man, won his heat in 10.28 seconds while Olympic bronze medallist Gatlin, racing into a stronger head wind, finished behind collegian Charles Silmon in 10.37 in the next race. Silmon ran 10.35.



"I didn't really have a great start," said Gay, his hair and beard neatly trimmed after several months of letting both grow out. "But (I wanted) to the get the kinks out, get the nerves out. I should be ready for tomorrow."



Gatlin, who recently surprised world record holder Usain Bolt in Rome, was more concerned about qualifying than a fast time, especially with a 2.9 metres per second wind blowing into his face.

"There was a little hurricane out there, the head wind, but it felt good to come out here and shake the legs out a little bit," said the 2004 Olympic 100 metres gold medallist.

Carmelita Jeter pulled out of the Championships due to injury but will still be eligible for the World Championships.

Jeter, the second fastest female sprinter of all-time, injured her right quadriceps at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting in May and has not run since then. She won the world 100 metres gold in South Korea in 2011, earning her an automatic berth in the August 10-18 world championships.

She will be able to accept the wild card spot without competing in the U.S. championships because of the injury, a USA Track and Field spokeswoman said.

The U.S. meeting, being held in Des Moines, Iowa through Sunday, serves as the American trials for the world championships.



Moving on to the Caribbean,World record holder and Olympic champion Usain Bolt made easy progress into the semi-finals of the men's 100 metres at the Jamaican trials for the world championships.

Bolt got off to a decent start and took control of heat one by the 40-metre mark before cruising across the finish line in 10.00 seconds.



Asafa Powell, who had previously failed to complete a competitive race all season due to hamstring problems, enters the semi-finals with the second fastest time after winning heat four in 10.02 seconds.



"Happy to complete my first race in a year," Powell, who had been battling hamstring problems, told Reuters after completing his first competitive race of the season. "It was quite easy."

World champion Yohan Blake, who has a wild-card entry to the August 10-18 world championships in Moscow, is not competing in the Jamaican trials.



The Jamaican women, minus Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who has a wild-card entry, will begin competing for spots on Jamaica's team to Moscow on Friday.