Sprinters warm up for 100

U.S. shot put contingent could get only silver in the first medal field final.

BEIJING (AP) — Far ahead halfway through his 100-meter Olympic quarterfinal, Usain Bolt casually swiveled his head to his right, to his left, then back to his right.

Never hurts to check. No one was nearby — hardly surprising, given how quickly the 6-foot-5 Bolt’s long strides carried his golden spikes. So the world record-holder slowed to what for him amounts to a jog.

He still crossed in 9.92 seconds, a time that makes it the fastest dash ever run in China, a time that would have earned a medal at all but two previous Summer Games and a time that fails to reflect how effortless Bolt’s performance was.

The Jamaican licked his lips, checked the scoreboard and pumped a fist, his untucked yellow sleeveless shirt rippling. The message, to himself and to rivals Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay, was unmistakable:

Bring on today’s 100 semifinals and final.

“I just ran the first 50 meters, then I looked around to make sure I was safe, and I shut it off,” Bolt said Friday night. “I’m ready for my best.”

Goodness. Remember, this is a guy who said as recently as last week that he wasn’t sure whether he would race the 100 — an event he only began pursuing seriously this year — in addition to his specialty, the 200, at these Olympics.

“He’s a phenomenal athlete,” said Darvis Patton of the United States, who also advanced to the semifinals.

Bolt, his Jamaican teammate Powell and U.S. record-holder Gay — the reigning world champion who hadn’t raced in 1 1/2 months because of a left leg injury — all advanced without a hitch through two 100 heats Friday, when the 10-day track and field competition opened.

The first medal final, the men’s shot put, was most foul for a U.S. contingent that was hoping for a sweep. Instead, the Americans settled for a silver from Christian Cantwell behind champion Tomasz Majewski of Poland, whose winning throw of 70 feet, 7 inches (21.51 meters) was more than 3 feet shy of the personal bests of all three Americans.

“Inexcusable,” said two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson, who couldn’t overcome aching ribs and fouled on all three of his attempts.

The third U.S. finalist in the event, 2007 world champion Reese Hoffa, fouled on his last two heaves and wound up in seventh place.

“We expected more from ourselves,” Nelson said. “We’re all disappointed. We all wanted a sweep.”

Cantwell seemed less than thrilled, holding up two fingers to signify second place and sticking his tongue out.

“I’ll take it, I guess — silver’s silver,” he said.