Athletics-Kerley on fire but Jacobs struggles in 100m heats

Athletics - World Athletics Championships - Men's 100 Metres - Heats - Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, U.S. - July 15, 2022 Fred Kerley of the U.S. , Guyana's Emanuel Archibald and Trinidad And Tobago's Jerod Elcock in action during the heat REUTERS/Mike Segar

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) -American Fred Kerley blasted out a warning that he, and the springy Hayward Field track, are in hot form as he blasted to a 9.79 seconds victory in the World Championships 100m heats on Friday, but Olympic champion Lamont Jacobs looked rusty.

Olympic silver medallist Kerley had posted the year's leading time and a personal best of 9.76 on the same track when winning the U.S. trials last month and he looks well-equipped to surpass that in the semi-finals or final on Saturday.