Usain Bolt will be the next to attempt the hat-trick in the men’s 100m at the Rio Olympics, with the semis taking place at 7pm JA time/8pm ET. Discounting a DQ at the 2011 World Championships, the world record-holder has never finished outside the top one in a major championships sprint race.
Bolt is favourite for gold – and indeed to go on to retain his 200m and 4x100m titles – but will have to work harder than in round one, where he strolled to his heat win in 10.07.
USA’s Justin Gatlin will be a threat. He was fastest in round one with 10.01 and will be keen to avenge the defeats he suffered to Bolt at the 2015 World Championships. After clocking 10.11 in the heats, Yohan Blake, Bolt’s training partner and 2012 silver medallist, will likely be in the mix.
Jamaica’s Nickel Ashmeade, who finished second in his heat (10.13) of Men’s 100m at Rio Olympics will have to also compete in the semis.
So will Trayvon Bromell and Andre De Grasse, the 21-year-old pair who shared world bronze in this event last year. The starter’s gun in the final fires at 8:25pm JA time/9:25pm ET
