Olympic champion Julien Alfred cruised through the women's 100 metres heats with the fastest time at the world athletics championships on Saturday, with in-form American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden qualifying third quickest.

Alfred is looking to bag another global title for Saint Lucia after winning the tiny Caribbean island's first Olympic gold in Paris last year.

She cantered home in a time of 10.93sec in Tokyo, where occasional showers burst through the humid evening air.

Britain's Daryll Neita was second-fastest in 10.94sec, followed by Jefferson-Wooden in 10.99sec.

Retiring veteran Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica also made it safely through.

And defending champion Sha'Carri Richardson of the United States -- who has had a low-key season so far marked by a domestic incident with h

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