August
27 1999, Seville: Michael Johnson ran the fastest lap in history last night when
he won the gold medal in the World Championship 400m last night. The american supersprinter
clocked a time of 43.18 seconds, 0.11 seconds faster than the previous mark of
Butch Reynolds set 11 years ago. He lead from the start and finished over 10 metres
clear of second place finisher Sanderlei Claro Parella of Brazil.
In the womens race australian Cathy Freeman successfully defended her World 400m title, winning in 49.67. The 10 000m for women proved to be one of the greatest ever. Tegla Loroupe of Kenya, Gete Wami of Ethiopia, and Briton Paula Radcliffe broke away from the rest of the field, and in exciting battle followed. Radcliffe led the race for a long time until loroupe surged into the lead with 4 laps to go. Wami however, didn't budge from second position and looked extremely strong. On the last lap, Wami unleashed her incredible kick, sprinting home in 30:24.56. Paula Radcliffe was second in 30:27.13 with Loroupe earning a very respectable bronze medal.
On Tuesday Hicham el Guerrouj and Haile Gebrselassie defended their World Championship titles which they won in Athens in 1997. El Guerrouj ran the fastest ever 1500 Championship race with a time of 3:27.65, the fifth fastest time ever. Gebrselassie won his fourth straight gold medal in the 10,000 meters with a time of 27:57.27.
Greene and Jones confirm their status
August
23 1999. Seville: Last night Americans Maurice Greene and Marion Jones confirmed
their status as world's fatest man and women when they successfully defended their
World Championship 100m titles. In a hard-faught battle with canadian Bruny Surin,
Maurice Greene ran a great race, coming from behind to win in 9.80 - the second
fastest time ever run. Surin finished second in 9.84 with Dwain Chambers of Great
Britain third.
Marion
Jones blasted out of her blocks to win in 10.70 - the fastest time by a woman this
year and a new championship record. She held off fellow American Inger Miller who
ran a brilliant race to record a personal best time of 10.79.
For more news visit: http://www.iaaf.org/Sevilla99/index.asp
Greene smashes record
June 17 1999: Last night in Athens, american Maurice Greene smashed the 100m world record. He clocked a time of 9.79 seconds, five hundredths of a second faster than the previous mark set by Donovan Bailey at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. This was the same track on which Greene won the 1997 World Championship 100m in 9.86.This world record will label him as the favourite to win another gold medal at this year's World Champs in Seville, Spain. The Seville track is reputed to be a very fast one. Maybe we will see another 100m world record come August!
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