Daniel Bailey (left) and Yohan Blake cross the finish line together during a sprint last year. (File photo)

St. John’s Antigua- Athletics have begun at the London Olympics and the flagship event, the men’s 100 metres, began its preliminary round earlier this morning.

The preliminaries are for those athletes who have not as yet achieved the qualifying standards.

Antigua & Barbuda’s top athlete Daniel “Bakka” Bailey has already qualified and will begin his quest for an Olympic medal in the heats that commence at 7:30 am.

The competition is steep this year with the likes of Asafa Powell, who is on edge following his complaint of too many drug tests in such a short period; world and Olympic champion Usain Bolt who is hotly pursued by Yohan “The Beast” Blake; and then there are American Tyson Gay and Brit Dwain Chambers who have said in no uncertain terms that they have something to prove.

The semi-final round is on Sunday beginning at 2:45 pm and the final is set for 4:50 pm later that day.

Other Antigua & Barbuda athletes Afia Charles (54.25 seconds) and Karin Clashing O’Reilly (30.01) failed to advance in the women’s 400m run and 50m freestyle swim events, respectively.