PARIS: Britain's surprise package Louie Hinchliffe claimed a qualifying edge on 100 metres favourite Noah Lyles as he led home the world champion in 9.98 seconds in today's first-round heats.
Coached by Carl Lewis and the first European to win the NCAA title in the United States, Hinchliffe finished strongly and Lyles, not exactly easing up, took second in 10.04 to also go through safely.
Lyles is targeting a possible four golds in Paris, in the 100m, his favourite 200m, the 4x100m relay and, possibly, the 4x400m relay.
That would emulate illustrious compatriots Jesse Owens and Lewis, who achieved that feat at a single Games but with long jump instead of the longer relay.
"It was a beautiful reaction and great to see it all coming together," Lyles said after getting a huge welcome from another sold-out Stade de France crowd.
"It is difficult. These guys are ready to compete."
Kishane Thompson is the world leader with the 9.77 he ran to win the Jamaican trials in June. The 23-year-old is in only his second year as a professional athlete but dealt with the distraction of the false-start disqualification of Briton Jeremiah Azu in the lane alongside him to get a good start, a strong pick up before easing down early to clock 10.00 and win the first heat.
Thompson has proved he can run the rounds as he posted 9.82 and 9.84 in the heats and semi-finals at the Jamaican trials before winning the title in 9.77, the fastest time recorded in the world since 2022.
He is now the ninth-fastest man in history and hoping to become the second Jamaican, after triple champion Usain Bolt, to claim the most prestigious title in the sport.
The current owner Italy's Marcell Jacobs, who has had a wretched time with injury since his shock Tokyo success, looked a little sluggish in finishing second in 10.05 behind Nigerian heat winner Kayinsola Ajayi (10.02).
"I'm feeling great and in good shape but I had to save my energy," Jacobs said.
Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyal, the second-fastest this season with 9.79 but who served a 14-month doping ban in 2017, was also very comfortable winning his heat in 10.08.
Canadian Andre de Grasse, 100m bronze medallist in the last two Olympics and 200m champion in Tokyo, recovered from a poor start to snatch the third automatic spot in his heat by 100th of a second with his 10.07. The race was won impressively by American Kenny Bednarek in 9.97, the joint-fastest of the day.
Fellow American Fred Kerley, the 2022 world champion, finished things off with 9.97 to win a stacked final heat ahead of Botswana's Letsile Tebogo (10.01) and slow-starting Briton Zharnel Hughes (10.03), who was disqualified for a false start in the Tokyo Olympic final
The semi-finals and final are on tomorrow evening.