Track and field on: Sprinters, throwers advance

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BEIJING -- Track and field, which once defined the Olympics but is now off-Broadway compared with NBC’s marquee sports of swimming and gymnastics, finally got underway Friday.

There were no real surprises in the prelims. Tyson Gay of the United States and Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt of Jamaica easily made it into the second round in the 100.

Gay showed no effects of the hamstring injury suffered during 200 qualifying at the trials.

This was the first time he had raced since and the first time the U.S. coaches had gotten a good look at him. He didn’t attend the training camp Dalian, China.

Gay’s U.S. teammates, Walter Dix and Darvis Patton, also advanced.

With a possibility of a sweep of the medals in the shot put, Americans Reese Hoffa, Christian Cantwell and Adam Nelson qualified for the final later Friday.

-- Randy Harvey

Photo: Tyson Gay, right, starts the men’s 100-meter heat Friday. Credit: Thomas Kienzle/Associated Press