KINGSTON, Jamaica—World champion Oblique Seville looks well set to defend his men’s 100m national title at the JAAA national championships at the National Stadium on Friday after he raced to a smooth 9.95 seconds (0.2m/s) to win his semi-final heat, fastest on the evening.

Seville was challenged early by teenager Gary Card, but eased away from the University of Technology athlete, who clocked 10.07 seconds to also book his place in the final set to start at 9:15 pm.

World Indoor bronze medalist Ackeem Blake ran 10.05 seconds (-0.8m/s) to win the other semi-final ahead of Nishion Ebanks, who ran a personal best 10.18 seconds.