Athletics fans could barely believe their eyes as America’s fastest man slipped up in his heats of the 100m, leading to a very nervous wait.

America’s fastest man Trayvon Bromell escaped a major scare after just sneaking into the semi-finals of the men’s 100m.

Bromell, who qualified fastest at US Olympic Trials, was slow out of the blocks and registered a time of 10.05 seconds, finishing his heat in fourth spot.

Given Bromell finished fourth in his race, he faced a nervous wait to see if his time cut the mustard.

Failing to progress beyond the heats would have been a huge shock for Bromell, who has run the fastest 100m time this year of 9.77s.

Nigeria’s Enoch Adegoke set a new personal best, surging to the line in 9.98s as he won Bromell’s heat — the second of the night at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium.

Baker, who qualified second quickest at US trials, won the opening heat of the night in a time of 10.03s.

Trayvon Bromell, the seventh fastest man of all time, in trouble.

Australian Rohan Browning qualified for the semi-finals and set a new personal best of 10.01 seconds as he became the first Australian in 23 years to compete in the blue riband event at a Games.