Olympics: Bolt in Ominous Form As Gay Struggles, But Still Makes Semi-finals

Usain Bolt justified his status as favorite for tomorrow's Olympic 100m final with a performance of ominous composure in qualifying for the semi-finals. The world record-holder posted a time of 9.92sec with almost disdainful ease, exploding away from the blocks to establish an immediate lead over American Darvis Patton and Portugal's Francis Obikwelu, both of whom have run below 9.9sec, and was so confident of qualification that he allowed himself a glance at the big screen after no more than 30 meters. By the time the Jamaican began easing down with 40 meters remaining he was looking around him like a middle-distance runner on a slow lap.

Bolt's performance, and the progress of his compatriot Asafa Powell and American Tyson Gay ensured that the Beijing renewal of the track's blue riband event remains on course to be the most spectacular in two decades. Bolt, Powell and Gay are the three fastest men in history, all having run below 9.8sec in the last 10 months, and expectations are rising that Bolt's world record of 9.72sec will be lowered in tomorrow night's final.

On yesterday's performances Bolt will be the man to lower his own standard. Powell was almost as comfortable as his countryman in qualifying from his heat in 10.06sec but his progress through the first two rounds has been hampered by a stomach upset. He dismissed speculation that he was suffering from a muscle injury following the first round yesterday morning, but he does not appear to share Bolt's air of impregnable confidence.

The most worried of the trio will be Gay, who looked some way below his best in his first competitive outings since he suffered a minor hamstring strain following the US trials eight weeks ago. He reached the second round comfortably enough but could only finish second in his evening heat in 10.09sec behind Trinidadian Richard Thompson, who ran 9.99sec and with Churandy Martina of the Dutch Antilles was one of only two others to join Bolt under 10 seconds last night.

Gay was easing down well before the line and has produced stunning times this summer - in the US trials he ran 9.68sec, albeit heavily wind-assisted - and professed to be happy with his form: "I felt good and relaxed, I just wanted to make it through," he said. On this evidence however will need to find a marked improvement if he is to add the Olympic title to the World Championship crown.

Joining the holy trinity in the semi-finals will be Tyrone Edgar, the only Briton to qualify courtesy of two highly impressive performances. The Londoner who lives in Los Angeles recorded the fastest first-round time with 10.13sec and went faster again in the second round with 10.10sec behind Marc Burns and former World Champion Kim Collins in the third heat of the evening.

His performance suggested he is capable of lowering his personal best of 10.06sec as the competition progresses, and in all probability he will have to if he is to reach the final. "There were four other good sprinters in that race so I knew I needed a good start and then I could see what I could do," said Edgar. "I've been working on my first 30 and it all came together at the right time." Should Edgar progress, like the rest of the field including class acts such as Collins, Obikwelu and Derrick Atkins, he may find he is running for the places.

Of the other Britons Craig Pickering lowered his personal best to 10.18sec but it was not enough to reach the semis, and Simeon Williamson was well below his best with a disappointing 10.32sec.