American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson clocked world-leading 10.71s in 100m to win her opening heat in the U.S. championships.
It was Richardson's comeback heat as she was failed to qualify for last year's world championships after missing Tokyo Olympics. She lost her place due to positive cannabis test.
She exploded off the blocks and never gave up the lead, offering a subdued celebration before quickly exiting the track at Hayward Field having booked her spot in Friday's semi-finals.
Brittany Brown finished 0.25 seconds behind Richardson in their heat, while 17-year-old high schooler Mia Brahe-Pedersen also advanced in 11.05.
In men's 100m, Christian Coleman cruised through in 9.95s. Coleman, the 2019 100m world champion who missed the Tokyo Games after being suspended for breaching 'whereabouts' rules, was the highlight of the men's side with the fastest time overall.
Double 200m world champion Noah Lyles had failed to qualify in the shorter sprint for the Tokyo Games and looked as though he might struggle again, as he was slow to get going through the opening stages of his heat.
But he kicked into high gear after the halfway point to finish second in his heat in 10.05, four hundredths of a second behind Cravont Charleston.
- Input from Reuters