KINGSTON — With Usain Bolt a notable absentee, Asafa Powell threw down the gauntlet at the Jamaican national senior trials on Thursday by running a blistering 9.98 seconds to qualify for the 100 meters semi-finals. Bolt, the world record holder at 100 and 200m, has struggled this year and his absence Thursday sparked concerns about his fitness ahead of this year's world championships in Beijing, where he is set to defend his sprint titles. Bolt's agent, Ricky Simms, said the 10-time world championship medalist had been entered only as an option. “Usain was never confirmed to run at the trials,” said Simms. “He put his name in to have the option. Bolt is scheduled to run Diamond League races in Paris on July 4, an event he pulled out of last year with a foot injury, and Lausanne five days later. Bolt's absence did not seem to sap the motivation of former world record holder Powell, who blasted out of the blocks in lane five and built a commanding lead by halfway before cruising home, with Yohan Blake trailing five meters behind after a horrid start. London Olympic double sprint silver medallist Blake, who is continuing his return from an 11-month injury layoff, was grateful to recover from a poor start and closed well in a time of 10.24. Rupp rules 10,000 meters Galen Rupp had a thumb's up for a victorious 10,000 metres at the US world championships trials in Eugene Thursday. And for good reason. The triumph, his seventh consecutive national title at the distance, was probably one of the few pleasing moments for the Olympic 10,000 metres silver medalist in the last month. Doping accusations by the BBC television programme Panorama in association with American website ProPublica against Rupp's coach Alberto Salazar and the distance runner had put them in a global spotlight. But on a hot June night, Rupp was able to put that aside to win his first race since the accusations. He rushed to the lead with three laps to go and quickly pulled away to claim the victory in 28 minutes, 11.61 seconds. Rupp will be joined on the US team for the August's world championships in Beijing by race runner-up Ben True (28:14.26) and third place finisher Hassan Mead (28:16.54) “It's been hard I'm not going to lie. It's been difficult to focus,” the 29-year-old Rupp said of the accusations and reports that the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is investigating Salazar. “(But) I believe in clean sport and I think the truth will prevail.” Molly Huddle won the women's 10,000, claiming her first national title at the distance in 31:39.20. The 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Shalane Flanagan (31:42.29) with Emily Infield (31:42.60) followed her across the finish line to qualify for Beijing. Tyson Gay, meanwhile, found his road to the 100 metres final will not be an easy one. The American record holder was overshadowed by younger competitors in Thursday's opening round. Trayvon Bromell, 19, equalled the third fastest 100 in the world this year by running 9.84 seconds to top qualifying for Friday's semifinals. Gay's training partner, Remontay McClain, was even faster, the 22-year-old clocking 9.82 seconds though he was aided by a 4.9 metres per second wind, over the allowable limit. The 32-year-old Gay, who missed a year of competition for doping in 2013, ran in the same heat as McClain and took second place in 9.85. The women's preliminary 100s were impressive too but also windy, with Olympic champion Carmelita Jeter the fastest at 10.87 seconds. Olympic 200m champion Allyson Felix won her preliminary in a high-quality women's 400m in 51.40 seconds, third best of the day. Felix, who has a bye to Beijing in the 200m, has yet to decide whether she will run that race or 400m at worlds. Year's fastest Francena McCorory had the top 400m time, 51.25, with London gold medallist Sanya Richards-Ross ninth overall in 51.93. She advanced as a heat winner. The wind also cost Marquis Dendy the leading long jump of the year. The collegian leaped 8.68 metres but the wind was over the allowable 3.7 metres per second. — Agencies
