Zoe Hobbs in action in the 100m sprint. Photo: AFP/JEWEL SAMAD
It couldn't have gone any more to plan.
New Zealand sprint star Zoe Hobbs strode onto the purple track of Stade de France in her Olympic debut, and delivered the assured performance of a seasoned veteran.
The queen of Oceania sprints, who is the first New Zealand woman to feature in an Olympic 100m sprint in nearly 50 years, breezed into the semifinals of the glamour event after finishing second in her heat with a season's best time of 11.08 seconds.
Hobbs finished 0.13 seconds behind St Lucia's Julien Alfred, with Italy's Zaynab Dosso more than two metres back in third.
With the top three in each heat advancing directly to the semifinals, Hobbs appeared to coast over the final stages of the race confident her place in the next round was secure.
After the race, a confident Hobbs said she executed her race plan to perfection, and believed that she had more to give in the semifinals on Sunday morning NZT.
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"I feel like I have another edge that I can bring to the semifinal," Hobbs said from the mixed zone in the bowels of Stade de France.
"I could see I was in second with about 30 metres to go, so I knew I had to relax and trust that that's where I was in the space and not fight it, just let myself flow. So if I can add another element in the semifinals, then that is pretty exciting."
Hobbs' Olympic debut is perhaps one of the most anticipated appearances of the New Zealand team at these Games.
Not since 1976, when Sue Jowett contested the 100m and 200m events, has there been a black singlet in a women's sprint event at the Olympic Games.
But Hobbs did not show any sign that she was daunted by the occasion.
Nearly 70,000 fans had packed into Stade de France for the first morning session of the Olympic track and field programme, creating a spine tingling atmosphere when all fell silent when the athletes took to the blocks, awaiting the starting gun.
This was Zoe Hobbs' first Olympics. (File image) Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"It felt awesome, the atmosphere was incredible," Hobbs said.
"I didn't want to let the atmosphere overstimulate me, but at the same time I wanted to draw on it and knowing that my family and friends were there watching was really special.
"I'm used to [the big crowds] now, because I have been through it so many times, but it always adds that element of butterflies and prickles to the arms. But you know you have to zone in and react to the gun as fast as you can."
Hobbs, who controversially missed selection for the Tokyo Olympics despite meeting the World Athletics qualifying criteria, said it felt "amazing" to be able to now call herself an Olympian.
"As long as I didn't false start I could say I've raced at an Olympics and call myself an Olympian, so first box ticked," she joked.
Holding the Oceania record at 10.96, the Taranaki sprinter will hope to improve on her incredible 10th placing from the 2023 World Championships and secure a finals berth in Paris.
But she will be fighting 24 other athletes in a stacked field to secure a place in the final.
Hobbs will race in the third of three semifinal heats, with the top two from each race advancing directly to the final. The next two best times across all three semifinals will advance as "lucky losers".
Two gold medal favourites, US star Sha'Carri Richardson and Jamaican great Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, will square off in the second semifinal.
The semifinals will be raced from 5.50am Sunday NZT, with the final at 7.20am.
Earlier in the morning session, New Zealand middle distance runner Sam Tanner had a disappointing run in the men's 1500m heats. Needing to place in the top six to guarantee a spot in the semifinals, Tanner found himself boxed in at the back and could not fight his way out.
He eventually finished eighth in his heat, but will get a second chance to advance to the semifinals via a repechage round.
