Glasgow 2014: Foster into semi-finals but Smyth & Reid exit 100m

Jason Smyth's 100m heat time of 10.66 was .44 outside his personal best set in 2011

Northern Ireland's Amy Foster safely progressed to the women's 100m semi-finals at the Commonwealth Games but Jason Smyth and Leon Reid bowed out of the men's sprint event.

Foster's time of 11.62 seconds earned automatic qualification as she finished second in her first-round heat.

However, Smyth exited from the men's 100m as he finished fifth in his heat in 10.66 - .44 secs outside his best.

Reid, meanwhile, false started in his heat and was disqualified.

Paralympic star Smyth, 27, appeared to start well in heat four but faded after 50m as he finished fifth in 10.66 seconds.

"I got out of the blocks really well and was in a good position in the early stages, however, I then tightened up and people started to pass me," explained Smyth.

"I was hoping to do better but I still haven't fully recovered from my hamstring injury.

"[But] It has been an incredible experience for me to represent Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games as I missed out on Delhi because of injury."

London-born Reid's first Northern Ireland outing proved a brief affair as he false started in heat three.

Gladys Ganiel was competing in her first major championship at the age of 37

Reid, 20, switched allegiance to Northern Ireland in February as his mother hails from the province.

Birchfield Harrier Reid won European Junior Championship 200m silver last year and his main focus in Glasgow will be the longer sprint.

Smyth is also scheduled to run the 200m at these championships but the Londonderry man's 2014 season has been badly affected by hamstring trouble and the 100m is regarded as his stronger event.

A time of 10.45secs would have secured a fastest loser's progression to Monday's semi-finals.

Foster looked to be in a tricky heat but her time of 11.62 - despite being .22secs outside her best - earned her second spot behind Australia's Melissa Breen [11.54].

On the opening date of athletics action at the Games, Northern Ireland hopeful Gladys Ganiel produced a gutsy run to take 12th in the women's marathon with her finishing time of 2 hours 40.29 minutes, only 57 seconds outside her personal best set in Berlin last September.

The American-born runner was making her first appearance at a major championship at the age of 37.

Ganiel is not a full-time athlete and her day job is working as an assistant professor in conflict resolution and reconciliation at Trinity College, Dublin.

Kenyan Flomena Cheyech Daniel took the gold medal in 2:26.45 ahead of her compatriot Caroline Kilel [2:27.10] with Australia's Jess Trengove [2:30.12] winning the bronze.