Good times: London has fast track

Associated Press

London

Well, that sure was fast.

Expectations that the London Olympics track meet would be filled with good times were quickly confirmed on Day 1, with seven sprinters running women’s 100-meter heats in 11 seconds or better Friday night, led by the 10.83 turned in by world champion Carmelita Jeter of the U.S.

That came hours after Britain’s Jessica Ennis got things started in front of a rowdy crowd at the morning session with the fastest 100-meter hurdles ever run in the heptathlon.

Jeter was joined in today’s 100 semifinals by Americans Allyson Felix and Tianna Madison.

Defending Olympic gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won her heat in 11 flat; her Jamaican teammates Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart also advanced.

Entering the semifinals of the women’s 100 in Beijing four years ago, there was a grand total of one dash of 11 seconds or better — Stewart’s 10.98.

“This is way fast. I literally ran zero to 60, shut it down and then ran [10.99],” said Murielle Ahoure of the Ivory Coast, who set a national record while finishing ahead of Stewart in Friday’s last 100 heat. “I can’t believe it. Whoa. Fast track.”

Imagine, then, what world-record holder Usain Bolt and his training partner, world champion Yohan Blake, might do when they get their first chance to race in 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium as the men’s 100 heats begin today.

The first gold medal of track and field came Friday night in the men’s shot put, and Tomasz Majewski of Poland talked a little trash about American foes after successfully defending his title — but only barely — with a top throw of 71 feet, 10 inches (21.89 meters).

World champion David Storl of Germany earned the silver with 71-8 3/4 (21.86), and Reese Hoffa of Augusta, Ga., gave the U.S. the bronze with 69-8 (21.23).

Hoffa had hoped to win the first U.S. gold in the men’s shot put since Randy Barnes in 1996 at Atlanta; the two other Americans were fourth and ninth in Friday’s final.

“Americans got a bit of a problem for the Olympics the last 20 years,” Majewski said. “They’ve got great guys, great athletes, but they can’t win gold in the Olympics. Sorry.”

The opening night’s other final came in the women’s 10,000 meters — and there was yet another repeat champion, Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia.

Dibaba, who also won the 5,000 at Beijing in 2008, pulled away over the final lap Friday and won in 30 minutes, 20.75 seconds. Kenya collected the silver and bronze in the 10,000, with Sally Kipyego second in 30:26.37 and world champion Vivian Cheruiyot third in 30:30.44.

In the sprints, the women will race their 100 semifinals and final today, and the potential for a U.S. vs. Jamaica showdown is certainly in the offing.

Not long after the stadium announcer’s voice boomed over the loudspeakers, alerting fans to what he called a “very fast track,” Jeter built a massive lead of about 10 feet by the halfway mark of her heat. Jeter, of Gardena, Calif., won by nearly a half-second, the gold-colored soles of her neon green spikes reflecting the arena’s artificial lights.

“I just had to come out and execute, like my coach wanted me to do,” Jeter said. “I still have two more rounds to go. Everybody’s going to definitely be running their hearts out tomorrow.”