100m hurdle trio advance to semifinal in Paris Olympics

SAINT-DENIS, France – A pair of Arkansas alums – Jamaicans Janeek Brown and Ackera Nugent – cruised through the prelims of the 100m hurdles along with Cindy Sember of Great Britain during the Wednesday morning session at Stade de France.

The trio will race again on Friday in the semifinal.

Nugent won the fifth and final prelim heat in 12.65 into a 0.6 headwind to finish ahead of Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas (12.71) and American Grace Stark (12.72). Jamaican Danielle Williams, the 2023 World champion, claimed heat four in 12.59 with 0.0 wind.

Brown raced first in the opening heat of the 100m hurdles, placing third in 12.84 behind Tobi Amusan of Nigeria (12.49) and American Alaysha Johnson (12.61).

Sember finished runner-up in heat two with a 12.72 to an overall leading 12.42 by Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the defending Olympic champion.