(BEIJING, August 15) -- The National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, will be the scene for the biggest race of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the sprint to see who will be crowned the world's fastest man. Tonight's preliminary round saw all of the favorites advance to the final to be held tomorrow night, August 16.

　　Usain Bolt of Jamaica clocked the fastest time in the second round of the Men's 100m, with a time of 9.92 seconds. The time put him ahead of Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles, and Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago who now go into tomorrow nights finals ranked equal second, with both athletes finishing in 9.99 seconds.

　　Heat 3 winner Marc Burns of Trinidad and Tobago predicted a sub-9.90 semifinal, at least from himself.

　　"I'm just trying to make it through my rounds but expect 9.80 something," he said after the second round.

　　Before competition began, three competitors were tagged as favorites going into this event.

　　Tyson Gay is now the United States best chance for gold. He is the reigning world champion in the 100m and 200m after winning the sprint double at last year's Worlds in Osaka.

　　Gay doesn't go into the event as the ultimate favorite, however, after sustaining a hamstring injury in the 200m at the US National Trials in Oregon, given the emergence of the new world's fastest man, Usain Bolt.

　　Bolt came from relative obscurity to worldwide attention in the 100m at a Grand Prix event on Long Island, New York, in late May, after demolishing the field and breaking the world record in a time of 9.72 seconds, a stunning result for anyone, let alone a runner who had been seen as a 200m specialist.

　　He was then recognized as Gay's main rival, along with fellow Jamaican, Asafa Powell.

　　Powell was formerly Gay's only obstacle in the way of the Olympic title and had held the record at 9.74 seconds before Bolt's run in New York.

　　With all three through to the semifinal, it is sure to be an exciting meeting. The 100m is never a two, or three, horse race however. Great Britain's Tyrone Edgar and Jamaican Michael Frater both ran faster than Powell in Round One.

　　No athlete from St. Kitts and Nevis has won an Olympic medal, but fourth fastest qualifier Kim Collins has gone the closest for the Caribbean nation. Twice a finalist in the 100m, he finished seventh in Sydney in 2000 and sixth in Athens in 2004.

　　"When you are out there, there are no favorites," US athlete Walter Dix said after round one this morning.

　　The semifinals will be held on Saturday, August 16, at the National Stadium in Beijing.

　　Semifinal entrants:

　　1. Usain Bolt - Jamaica 9.92

　　2. Churandy Martina - Netherland Antilles 9.99

　　3. Richard Thompson - Trinidad/Tobago 9.99

　　4. Asafa Powell - Jamaica 10.02

　　5. Darvis Patton - United States 10.04

　　6. Marc Burns - Trinidad/Tobago 10.05

　　7. Kim Collins - St. Kitts Nevis 10.07

　　8. Walter Dix - United States 10.08

　　9. Michael Frater - Jamaica 10.09

　　10. Tyson Gay - United States 10.09

　　11. Francis Obikwelu - Portugal 10.09

　　12. Tyrone Edgar - Great Britain 10.10

　　13. Samuel Francis - Qatar 10.11

　　14. Derrick Atkins - Bahamas 10.14

　　15. Martial Mbandjock - France 10.16

　　16. Naoki Tsukahara - Japan 10.23