Smooth sailing in qualifying for American sprinters

ATHENS - A successful day of qualifying on the track in Saturday morning's rounds saw American men's sprinters and women's one-lappers easily advancing at Olympic Stadium.

As expected, American 100m runners had no worries in men's first-round competition. 2004 world leader Shawn Crawford (Raleigh, N.C.) had the fastest time of the morning, winning heat 4 in 10.02 seconds while running in a white cap and sunglasses. Olympic Trials runner-up Justin Gatlin (Raleigh, N.C.) overcame a slow start (.204 reaction) to win heat 3 in 10.07, and defending Olympic gold medalist Maurice Greene (Granada Hills, Calif.) breezed through heat 8 with a winning time of 10.18.

American junior record holder Sanya Richards (Austin, Texas) had the fastest time of the women's 400m first round, winning heat 6 in 50.11 seconds to advance to Sunday's semifinals. Olympic Trials champion Monique Hennagan (Stockbridge, Calif.) won heat 2 in 51.02, and NCAA champion Dee Dee Trotter (Knoxville, Tenn.) was second in heat 4 in 50.56.

Team USA's women's 400-meter hurdlers all placed a comfortable second in their first-round races to advance to Sunday's semifinals. Brenda Taylor (Chula Vista, Calif.) was second in heat 3 (54.72), with LaShinda Demus (Columbia, S.C.) second in heat 4 (54.66) and Olympic Trials champion and world leader Sheena Johnson (Los Angeles) runner-up in heat 5 (54.81).

Shelia Burrell (Chula Vista, Calif.) leaped 6.25m/20-6.25 in the women's heptathlon long jump for 927 points, with Tiffany Lott-Hogan (Pleasant Grove, Utah) at 5.92m/19-5.25 (825) and Michelle Perry (Los Angeles) 6.02m/19-9 (856). After five events, Burrell was in ninth place overall (4,593 points), with Perry 10^th (4,577) and Lott-Hogan 13^th (4,530).

Casey Malone (Fort Collins, Colo.) will compete in Monday's final of the men's discus after finishing eighth in qualifying with a throw of 63.27m/207-7. Jarred Rome (Chula Vista, Calif.) was 14th overall with a throw of 61.55/201-11, and Ian Waltz (Chula Vista, Calif.) was 22nd with 58.97m/193-5. Neither men made the 12-man cut.

For complete results, visit www.iaaf.org