Sprinter Zoe Hobbs breezes into semifinals at Birmingham Commonwealth Games – صحيفة الصوت

Job done.

Zoe Hobbs breezed into the 100m semifinals at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games on Tuesday night (NZT), despite tightening up down the stretch.

The 24-year-old qualified fifth-fastest for Thursday morning’s semifinals, clocking 11.09sec in the opening heat at Alexander Stadium.

She stopped the clock just 0.01sec shy of her Oceania record, set at the world championships in Oregon last month in the glamour event, to finish second in her heat.

“It’s been two weeks since the world champs. There’s been a little bit of jet lag in the mix there, and a little bit of sickness. So, I wasn’t really sure how today would go,” she said.

“I just wanted to relax throughout the race and I think I did tense up a little towards the end. You never quite know where you are in lane eight, you’re kind of blind to the rest of the race, but made it through, and so stoked to make it through to the semis.”

Hobbs had to contend with a false start scratching Tanzania’s Winifrida Makenji, admitting the double blast always made for an anxious few moments.

“I didn’t actually see the girl false start either, so you never actually know. Whenever I have been in false start races, I never know who it is because it’s not that obvious, it goes off the touch sensitive blocks, so you never quite know if it’s you.”

Elaine Thompson-Herah, the lone member of the ace Jamaican trio which won gold, silver and bronze in Oregon, qualified fastest alongside Nigerian Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha with a time of 10.99sec.

Thompson-Herah did the 100m and 200m double at both the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, but was forced to settle for bronze behind Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson at the world champs.

Having also reached the semifinals at the world champions, Hobbs will line up with a shot at making the final at 6.35am on Thursday.

She’ll rest and regroup before then, knowing she can’t afford to tense up as she did in her heat if she’s going to stay alive.

“My form sort of turned to ‘bluh’ a little bit towards the end. So, I just need to compose myself and get used to being in this kind of environment. There’s a full stand right around us, and part of the atmosphere sort of puts you on edge a little bit more.”

“I’ve done athletics since I was 5, I’ve always looked up to working towards this moment, this is really special to be out here competing as a 100-metre runner.”

Hobbs wasn’t the only Kiwi to advance past the opening round, with shot putter Maddi Wesche and discus hurler Connor Bell both advancing to the finals of their respective events.

New Zealand’s new hope in women’s shot put in the aftermath of Dame Valerie Adams’ retirement, Wesche only needed to uncork one put to advance, throwing 18.08m (18m automatic qualification).

Indeed, it was casual as you like from Wesche, donning shades despite it being a miserably dreary day in the curry capital of the UK.

“I don’t know if it’s the weather for sunnies, but they are kind of my good luck charm after Tokyo, so I had to keep them,” she said.

“People might think I’m a little bit silly for wearing these with this [cloudy] weather, but you never know what this UK weather is going to do for us.”

Bell’s final throw of 59.47m was good enough to qualify fifth for the men’s discus final, to be held Friday morning.

Wesche will contest the shot put final on Thursday morning (7.05am), after high jumper Hamish Kerr goes for gold at 6am.

New Zealand’s first shot at a medal is on Wednesday morning (6.05am), when Olivia McTaggart and Imogen Ayris contest the pole vault final.