Omanyala ‘jogs’ to Paris Olympics 100m semis

The Commonwealth Games reigning champion ran a time of 10.08 to win his heat in the 100m dash ahead of Italian Ali Chituru and Joshua Hartmann who came home second and third respectively.

The second-fastest man this year was off the blocks and surged to control the race but after seeing off the competition, he slowed down towards the finish line.

Omanyala said the "relaxed" style allowed him to maintain a high level of speed while also conserving energy.

“It was a tactic and not that I had a bad finish. I slowed down because I had already beaten my competition. I did not want to give it all as I work towards the semis which I predict will be tougher.”

“I have not felt like I’ve ran because I had some good preparations and in fact I don’t think there is a grey area I need to work on. The preps are over and I just want to do my job,” he added.

Also advancing into the semis of the 100m were US sprint star Noah Lyles, defending Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy and Jamaica's Kishane Thompson -- the fastest man in the year with his 9.77sec.

Lyles, who won treble sprint gold at last year's world championships in Budapest, made a laboured start in the third heat won by British champion Louie Hinchliffe in 9.98 seconds. He finished second in 10.04sec.

Jacobs, who shocked the field to win Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, also progressed to Sunday's semi-finals, with the final scheduled later the same session at the Stade de France.

The Italian clocked 10.05sec, made to work hard in the final 20 metres to finish second in a close heat behind Kayinsola Ajayi of Nigeria.

Jamaica’s Thompson sailed through comfortably winning his heat in 10.00sec as was his teammate Oblique Seville who went through as one of the winners of the eight heats, cruising in 9.99sec.