Usain Bolt struggles into 100m final as Justin Gatlin cruises

Usain Bolt has qualified for the 100m final in Beijing despite a poor start.

Bolt took the line with a time of 9.96secs but he got off to a poor start and for the first 40 metres he was nowhere near. In fact, he nearly stumbled.

Bolt, in lane seven, eventually got it together but Steve Cram told the BBC: "You cannot start like that.

“If you don’t start well, you are in trouble. Usain Bolt had to muster everything there just to get through.”

In contrast, Justin Gatlin took first in his semi with a time of 9.77 and it is impossible to see anyone stopping him taking gold on this form.

The American – booed on the start line by some owing to his past – looked like he could have gone quicker too.

In the final semi, Tyson Gay clocked 9.96 to take first from Asafa Powell which means we have a final with Bolt, Gatlin, Gay and Powell at 2.15pm.

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