TOKYO (AFP) - China’s Su Bingtian ran an Asian record of 9.83 seconds to qualify for the men’s Olympic 100m final on Sunday, while U.S. medal hope Trayvon Bromell missed the cut.
Su, 31, shattered his previous best of 9.91 to storm to an impressive semifinal win over American Ronnie Baker in a photo-finish.
Italy’s Lamont Jacobs finished third in a European record of 9.84 and fourth-placed South African Akani Simbine in 9.90, the pair taking the two fastest spots on offer after the two automatic qualifier places from the three semifinals.
The first semifinal saw Briton Reece Prescod disqualified for a blatant false start. The remaining field of seven were left waiting for several minutes as starting officials resolved a technical issue.
American Fred Kerley eventually won in 9.96 ahead of Canada’s Andre de Grasse.
British hopes were kept alive as Zharnel Hughes won the second semi in 9.98 ahead of Nigerian Enoch Adegoke, who was awarded second place in a photo finish with Bromell after both timed 10 seconds dead.
Bromell had come into the Olympics as hot pre-race favorite having set the fastest time this year of 9.77sec, the seventh-quickest in history.