The 2011 World 100m champion has made an uncertain return to action this season after missing a year with hamstring injuries, and it looked as if he had suffered the same problem on this occasion.

Michael Rodgers of the United States took second place in the same time as Ashmeade, with Nesta Carter third in 9.98 ahead of Britain's James Dasaolu, who equalled his season's best of 10.03.

Blake, 100 and 200m silver medallist behind compatriot Usain Bolt at the London 2012 Olympics, had planned to offer Scottish fans something to remember on the first day of the International Association of Athletics Federation's Diamond League meeting, having turned down the chance to run at the same venue later this month in the Commonwealth Games.

Yohan Blake contemplates another injury after pulling up during tonight's 100m in the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Glasgow ©Getty Images

The 24-year-old apologised to the Scottish people earlier this week for a decision he said was "based on his best interests" as he seeks to regain top form ahead of next year's World Championships.

He has struggled on his return to the track and could only finish sixth in the Lausanne Diamond League 200m on July 3 in 20.48.

That race in Switzerland was won in 19.84 by Panama's Alonso Edward, who won the 200m in Glasgow with sufficient ease that he could afford to slow down before crossing the line in 20.25, 0.05 ahead of the Jamaican who leads the world lists this year, Warren Weir, and American World bronze medallist Curtis Mitchell, who clocked 20.31

Gia Lewis-Smallwood of the US laid claim to the surprise result of the day as she produced a personal best of 67.59 metres in the women's discus to end the outstanding run of World and Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic, winner of all her four previous Diamond League competitions this year, and winner of all seven Diamond League meetings last year.

The Croatian could only manage an effort of 66.30m for second place.

Meanwhile the leading women's 1500m performer this year, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, won in a meeting record of 4min 00.67sec ahead of another naturalised Ethiopian runner, Sweden's world champion Abeba Aregawi, who clocked 4:00.94.

Francena McCorory, the US World Indoor 400m champion, won commandingly with a time of 49.93 ahead of her compatriot Sanya Ross-Richards, the Olympic champion, who clocked 50.39.

There was encouragement for the home nations looking ahead to the Commonwealth Games which are due to start on July 23 as Scotland's Eilidh Child won the women's 400m hurdles in a season's best of 54.39.

England's Katarina Johnson-Thompson finished second in the long jump in a personal best of 6.92m, just six centimetres adrift of Tianna Bartoletta, the American who leads this year's world lists with a best of 7.02.

Britain's Katarina Johnson-Thompson finished second in the long jump at the Glasgow Diamond League meeting with a personal best of 6.92m ©Getty Images

Olympic and world decathlon champion Ashton Eaton continued to demonstrate his virtuosity as an athlete in a season without an outdoor global championship to worry about as he finished second in the 400m hurdles in a personal best of 48.69sec behind Puerto Rico's Javier Culson, who won in 48.35.

Kenya's Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha will provide the second day of competition with one of its expected highlights.

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