Jamaica’s Tyler Mason and Orlando Bennett were the fastest qualifiers through to the semi-finals of the Men’s 110 hurdles, while Demario Prince also advanced at the World Athletics Championship in Japan.

Mason, running in Heat 5, produced a season’s best and stopped the clock at 13.17 and was the quickest of all heats. Mason, running from lane one, won ahead of Rachid Muratake of Japan in 13.22 with China’s Junxi Liu in a personal best 13.23.

American favourite Grant Holloway, the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medallist and the second-fastest man in history with 12.81 seconds, led early but, as usual, faded and was fourth in 13.27, and also booked a semi-final spot.

In Heat 3, national champion Orlando Bennett set the tone, winning in 13.20 and was the second quickest behind his teammate, Mason. Bennett won ahead of Frenchman Just Kwaou-Mathey in 13.25 and Italy’s Lorenzo Simonelli in 13.25.

Jamaica’s third runner, 20-year-old Demario Prince, finished fourth in Heat 4, clocking 13.31, the same time as American Cordell Tinch. The race was won by Spain’s Enrique Llopis in 13.22 and was the third fastest into the semi-finals.

The semi-finals are set for Tuesday at 6:40 am Jamaican time, with Bennett in Semi-final 1, Prince in Semi-final 2 and Mason in Semi-final 3. The first two plus two fastest times qualify for the final.