Dina Asher-Smith ran the second fastest race of her life to send shockwaves through the sprint world.
Asher-Smith warned after losing her British title that she would peak when it really mattered at the World Championships.
On Day Two of competition she delivered on her promise, clocking 10.84 seconds in her 100 metres heat to qualify quickest for the semi-finals.
It was a time she has only once bettered, when going 0.01 second faster to take silver in the 2019 World final in Doha.
“What I needed to do was qualify and win my heat today,” she said with a smile which contrasted with the tears of a year ago after injury wrecked her Olympic bid in Tokyo.
“I’m coming here as a reigning world champion and a world silver medalist so clearly the aspirations are high for me.
“I knew that I’d been waiting all season to peak for this. I’m happy. I’ve got some more to give, but I was happy that I nailed the essential bits today.
“I just wanted to win my heat, make sure I get a good lane draw - I did not expect that time. Am I peaking? I hope so. If not now, when? I’m looking to go faster.”
Jamaican fans had come to Hayward Field in their numbers anticipating a clean sweep through Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson.
Instead it was the British duo who stole the qualifying show, national champion Daryll Neita breezing through in 10.95secs. Only reigning champion Fraser-Pryce (10.87) could live with that.
Neita said: “That was just the warm up, just the getting the jitters out of the way. I feel super good and have no reason to not be smiling so I am!
“Obviously it’s just getting your foot in the door but I am happy to come out of that with a seasons’ best – a decent.. a fine run actually and I’m excited for tomorrow.”
Asher-Smith had not been at her best this season, dealing with the “heartbreak” of her grandmother’s death and then being dethroned by Neita in Manchester.
But she looked a class apart here, powering out of the blocks to completely dominate her heat and raise expectations ahead of tonight's semi-final and final.
Asher-Smith goes in the first semi-final with Jackson. Neita has Fraser-Pryce in the third.
Laura Muir, another British medal hope, made no mistake as she booked a place in Monday's final of the women's 1500 metres with a season's best 4:01.78.
Before then, Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman and Neil Gourlay will contest the semi-finals of the men's event tomorrow, having negotiated today's heats.
But there was no joy for Eilish McColgan who came up short in her bid to emulate mum Liz’s 10,000m gold medal in Tokyo 31 years ago.
The Scot, nine months old when Liz ruled the world, came into the race ranked third fastest but was unable to live with the speed of the Africans.
Ethiopia's Letesenbet Gidey took the win in 30:09.94 ahead of Kenya's Hellen Obiri. McColgan (30:34.60) was 10th, just ahead of Jess Judd (30:35.93).
“To be honest I wasn’t sure I would make the start line," said mcColgan. "I’ve had a bit of illness and about five days ago I did something to my hamstring.
"I suppose mentally it’s tough, to have such a cracking year then the last three weeks turn to s**t, so I was scrambling to make the start line.
"To be honest, it was way better than I thought it would be, but I’ve probably just spent the last five days panicking leading into it and I felt just a little bit switched off."
