By Lori Ewing
PARIS (Reuters) -The United States' Gabby Thomas cruised into the women's semi-finals of the 200 metres at the Paris Olympics, showing she is the woman to beat with the quickest time of Sunday morning's preliminary round.
Jamaica's world champion Shericka Jackson withdrew earlier on Sunday less than a month after suffering an injury in a tune-up meet in Hungary.
The 27-year-old Thomas clocked 22.20 seconds, while Nigeria's Favour Ofili -- who missed the 100 in Paris after Nigeria officials failed to enter her in the event -- was second at 22.24. Britain's Dina Asher-Smith was third in 22.28.
"I am really happy with that, it was easy and good," said Asher-Smith who failed to qualify for Saturday's 100 final. "It is probably the easiest 22.2 (seconds) I've ever run. I ran angry. I just wanted to qualify."
Fresh off her thrilling 100 victory the previous evening, St. Lucia's Julien Alfred showed she is a threat in the 200 as well, easing up well before the finish line to cross in 22.41, sixth fastest of the morning.
Thomas, 27, won bronze on her Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games, and silver behind Jackson at last year's world championships, and has said she expects to claim gold in Paris. Thomas has the fastest time in the world this season of 21.78.
Fans unfortunately will be deprived of what was expected to be a hotly contested battle between Thomas and Jackson.
At last year's World Championships in Budapest, Jackson clocked a scorching 21.41 to just miss breaking the world record of 21.34 set by the late Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988.
But Jackson, who has never won an individual Olympic gold medal, has not been at her best this season, clocking times almost a second slower than her World Championships run.
The event was already missing Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica, Olympic champion in Rio and Tokyo, with an Achilles injury.
The final is on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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