Bolt, Isinbayeva make London bow

Cream of men's sprinting & Russian pole vaulting to make their bow on 2nd day of athletics programme tomorrow

I / London August 03, 2012, 9:41 IST

The cream of men's sprinting and Russian pole vaulting legend Yelena Isinbayeva will make their bow on the second day of the athletics programme of the Olympics tomorrow.

Defending Olympic champion Usain Bolt and Jamaican teammates Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell will run heats and round one of the 100m alongside US rivals Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin, with the semi-finals and final scheduled for Sunday.

The 100m remains the premier track and field event, and arguably of the whole Olympics, with an especially thrilling final in prospect in London.

"Everyone's been waiting for this for four years. It's going to live up to expectations," said Blake, who edged Bolt in the Jamaican trials and has been tipped as a genuine title contender.

The women's 100m gold will also be decided following Friday's qualifying heats and a semi-final early in Saturday's evening session.

In the women's pole vault, double Olympic champion Isinbayeva will bid to safely negotiate qualifying for Monday's final.

The 30-year-old Russian world record holder has suffered rare but bitter defeats during the last three seasons.

Isinbayeva heads to London boosted by gold in the 2012 World Indoor Championships but with another failure to clear 4.70m in the Monaco Diamond League meet on July 20.