SPRINT rivals Mark Lewis-Francis and Dwain Chambers are both prepared to smash through the 10-second barrier in their battle for the Commonwealth Games 100metres gold.

The duo kept on course for a showdown in front of a 38,000 capacity crowd - last night's near sell-out was the biggest athletics attendance in Britain for 50 years - at the City of Manchester Stadium by cruising into the semi-finals.

Teenager Lewis-Francis set the target by clocking the fastest time of the event so far of 10.13secs in his heat while Chambers was only fractions slower winning his second round in 10.17.

But both are ready to turn up the heat as they bid to win the most coveted gold medal and become the first Brits to legally break the 10-second barrier on a home track.

"I know that there is a sub 10secs in me," said 19-year-old Lewis-Francis , who has twice clocked an illegal 9.97secs including in Sheffield last month when Chambers won in 9.95secs.

"This is my first Commonwealth Games and I want to go home with a medal, that is important to me. My mind is only thinking about the gold."