There is no question it will be a wonderful year for European men’s sprinting, with the 100m final in Zurich in August likely to be one of the great races of the summer.
And one of the men who will be vying for gold at those European Athletics Championships showed on Saturday that he is ready to build on his brilliant times from 2013.
James Dasaolu, of Great Britain, caught the eye in July when he ran 9.91 at the trials for the IAAF World Championships in Moscow to put himself second on the all-time national list.
Now in his first race of this winter season, he finds himself at the top of the world rankings after an excellent win at the Sainsbury’s Glasgow International Match at the Emirates Arena.
The clock showed 6.60 as Dasaolu crossed the line, but it was an error and the time was reset to an impressive 6.50, a perfect base for the long months ahead - which include the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot in March.
Dasaolu looked fluent from the blocks in a field of four with fellow Briton Dwain Chambers, running for the Commonwealth Team, second in 6.61 ahead of Jeff Porter, of the USA, third in 6.75 and Scotland’s Stephen Dunlop, fourth in 6.92.
“It is a fantastic way for me to start my season,” said Dasaolu, speaking to BBC Television. “I could not think of a better start.
“I am really happy with the way things are going. I took a long period off at the end of last season and I am building on last year.”
His indoor personal best of 6.48 goes back to March when he won silver at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg but at this rate, he might now go under that 60m time.
In Zurich he will face steep competition in the 100m, with France’s Christophe Lemaitre who will be chasing a hat-trick of European golds while fellow Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut wants to build on his 9.95 from last year and along with them, Britain’s Adam Gemili who was showed his 200m speed in Moscow when he dipped under 20-seconds.
Dasaolu has put down an early marker – and there will be a great deal of fast times ahead.