(From L) Canada's Andre De Grasse, China's Su Bingtian and France's Jimmy Vicaut compete in the Men's 100m Round 1 during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 13, 2016.JEWEL SAMAD/AFP / Getty Images
Star Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse has cruised to the semifinals of the men's 100 metres at the Rio Olympics.
The Markham, Ont., runner was slow out of the blocks but turned it on in the final 50 metres to finish first in his heat in a time of 10.04 seconds.
The semifinals and final are set for Sunday night.
Rio Olympics Day 8: What to watch and the latest news
Defending champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica ran 10.07 to win his heat.
American Justin Gatlin had the fastest qualifying time at 10.01. De Grasse's time was third-best overall.
De Grasse will be the lone Canadian in the semis after Toronto's Aaron Brown (10.24) and Calgary's Akeem Haynes (10.22) failed to advance.
De Grasse won a surprise bronze medal at the world championships last year.
Meantime, Brianne Theisen-Eaton was fifth after five events of the heptathlon. The Humbolt, Sask., native has 4,872 total points, 146 off leader Nafissatou Thiam of Belgium, with two events to go.
Earlier, Genevieve Lalonde of Moncton, N.B., broke the Canadian record in women's 3,000-metre steeplechase to qualify for the final, finishing in 9:30.24.