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 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, 12.54 seconds.
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.
Felix, who barely made the U.S. team in the 100, ran only a 11.01, but it was good enough to win her heat.
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Entering the semifinals of the women's 100 in Beijing four years ago, there was only one dash of 11 seconds or better - Stewart's 10.98.
"I can't believe it. Whoa. Fast track," said Murielle Ahoure of the Ivory Coast, who set a national record with a 10.99 in her heat. The surface at Olympic Stadium, called Mondotrack, has shock-absorbing material built into the bottom instead of the top, providing better traction for the upper layer.
Imagine what world-record holder Usain Bolt and world champ Yohan Blake might do when they get their first chance to race today in the men's 100 heats.
The first gold medal of track and field came in the men's shot put, and Tomasz Majewski of Poland talked a little trash about U.S. foes after defending his title with a throw of 71 feet, 10 inches.
World champion David Storl of Germany earned the silver with 71-8 3/4, and Reese Hoffa of Augusta, Ga., gave the U.S. the bronze with 69-8. 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.
"Americans have great guys, great athletes," Majewski said, "but they can't win gold in the Olympics. Sorry."
The 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 and won in 30 minutes 20.75 seconds. Kenya's Sally Kipyego (30:26.37) and Vivian Cheruiyot (30:30.44) won silver and bronze.
