By Mark Maloney

McClatchy Newspapers

BEIJING — Tyson Gay advanced to the semifinals of the men’s 100-meter Olympic dash Friday night (Friday a.m. EDT).

With the top three from each of five heats, plus the fastest fourth-place finisher, moving on to Saturday’s semifinals, Gay ran easily to a second-place heat finish, timed in 10.09 seconds. Earlier in the day, he passed his first-round test in 10.22.

His quarterfinals heat was won by Trinidad and Tobago’s Richard Thompson in 9.99. After Gay, who had the night’s ninth-best time, came Martial Mbandjock of France in 10.16.

“I felt good and relaxed,” Gay said. “I’m just trying to make it through.”

He said his left hamstring, injured at last month’s U.S. Olympic Trials, “felt good” through two races.

All three Americans and all three Jamaicans advanced — Walter Dix and Darvis Patton for the U.S., Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Michael Frater for Jamaica.

Bolt, the world record-holder, seemingly ran without effort to the fastest time of the semis, 9.92. Powell ranked fourth overall at 10.02, one spot ahead of Patton’s 10.04. Dix ranked eighth at 10.08. Frater tied Gay for ninth in the rankings.