Report29 May 2006


Gatlin Wins 100m Challenge Over Powell, five World leaders in Eugene - Prefontaine Classic Report

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Justin Gatlin winning again at the Prefontaine Classic (© Kirby Lee/Image of Sport)

Eugene, Oregon, USAJustin Gatlin has bragging rights over Asafa Powell in the 100m for the moment.

With the co-World record holders running in separate heats in the Prefontaine Classic on a rain-soaked track Gatlin clocked 9.88 seconds while Powell won his heat in 9.93 before a standing-room crowd of 13,371 at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field on Sunday (28).

It’s the closest that Gatlin and Powell have come to racing on the track since Gatlin tied the Jamaican’s World record of 9.77 in the Qatar Super Grand Prix in Doha on 12 May.

And it may remain that way for at least for awhile. Gatlin pulled out of a scheduled race against Powell in Gateshead, England on 11 June unable to reach an agreement with meet organizers.

“My income is to run and make as much money as I can and be successful,” Gatlin said. “I am not being scared about running against anybody. It’s a business move. You have to go out there and make sure that the races are good.”

The Gatlin and Powell rivalry was the featured event of the 32nd annual meet that produced world six yearly bests.

Men’s season's bests were turned in by Bernard Lagat in the mile (3:51.53), Xiang Liu of China in the 110m Hurdles (13.21), and Christian Cantwell in the shot put (22.17m) in the only North American stop on the IAAF World Athletics Tour. Early season World-leading marks on the women’s programme included Russian Tatyana Tomashova’s 4:01.81 in the 1500m and Michelle Perry’s 12.63 in the 100m Hurdles, which equalled the world leader.

Gatlin over Powell in the 100m challenge

In the first 100m heat, Gatlin, running in the middle of the track in lane five, bumped elbows three times with Leonard Scott before powering away to equal the meet record set by Shawn Crawford in 2004. Scott finished  a distant second in 10.16 and Michael Frater of Jamaica, the World silver medallist, was third in 10.17 in the race aided by a 1.0 mps wind.

In the second heat, aided by a 2.5 mps breeze, Powell got out of the blocks quickly but slowed noticeably over the final five metres to record a 9.93 win. Shawn Crawford (10.04) and Jason Smoots (10.05) were second and third.

“It proved today that I was here to protect my house,” Gatlin said. “I am a patriot of America and I came here to put on a great show.”

Gatlin and Powell shook hands after their races but showed little emotion during a national live television interview before promptly parting ways.

“We aren’t chummy good friends to begin with but we are competitors and respect each other’s time,” Gatlin said.

Gatlin and Powell each expressed interested in racing and Gatlin went as far to say that he would take Powell on in a street race.

“He is really excited and he’ll say anything,” Powell said. “(Racing) Gatlin is not about revenge. It’s about proving who is really the fastest and the World record holder. None of us won today.”

Gatlin will run in the 100m at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York on 3 June while Powell is headed to Oslo to race on 2 June at the Bislett Games. The earliest possible dates for a Gatlin-Powell race looks to be either 3 July in Athens, Greece or on 28 July in London.

Gatlin believes prolonging the buildup is good for athletics and is confident a race will take place before the season is through. He compared the Gatlin-Powell rivalry to the intrigue created by Leroy Burrell, Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson.

“It’s like a wave…There’s a lot of people wanting to go out there and be the top dog,” Gatlin said. “It’s makes it more competitive and exciting because you have two people going for the record. I’m not saying (a race against Powell) is not going to happen. That’s what the world wants to see but I think the world needs to be a little patient. I think it would kill the sport more than help it.”

Cantwell extends World lead in Shot Put

While the Gatlin and Powell battled for the spotlight on the track, Christian Cantwell was clearly tops in the Shot Put.

The 2004 World Indoor Champion unleashed four of his five legal throws beyond 21.16m or better, topped by his 22.17 final round effort. His series also included efforts of 21.44m and 21.94m. Cantwell now has the top four throws in the world this year.

Adam Nelson, who took the first-round lead at 21.44m before fouling on his final five throws, was second. Dane Joachim Olsen and Reese Hoffa were third and fourth at 21.04m and 20.98m.

Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania dominated the discus to win at 67.97m with training partners Jarred Rome and Ian Waltz of the U.S. in second and third at 65.72m and 64.33m.

14th consecutive ‘Pre’ win for Mutola

Hometown favorite Maria Mutola of Mozambique won a battle with Kenia Sinclair of Jamaica and American Hazel Clark to win the women’s 800m in 1:58.86 for her 14th consecutive win here. Sinclair was second in 1:59.00 with Clark third in 1:59.10.

Hayward Field has been a special place for Mutola, 33, who lived and trained in the Eugene area for nearly a decade. This year, however, was the first time that Mutola had not entered the Prefontaine meet with the field’s fastest time since first running in the event as a high schooler in 1991.

“When I used to train here in high school and run in the open meets, there has been a lot of support,” Mutola said. “It feels like home coming back here. It’s not easy to win 14 races in a row. There were a lot of friends shouting my name.”

Lagat, Tomashova run to World-leading middle distance wins

Bernard Lagat won the Bowerman Mile in the meet finale in 3:51.53 and Tatyana Tomashova won the women’s 1500m in 4:01.81, both the fastest times in the world in the respective events.

In the mile, Lagat and World champion Rachid Ramzi of Bahrain shadowed Daniel Kipchirchir  Komen of Kenya on the final lap before Lagat powered away in the homestretch, smiling broadly as he raised his right hand with the No.1 symbol in victory while breaking the tape.

Alex Kipchirchir of Kenya snuck in for second at 3:51.71. Ramzi and Komen were second and third in 3:52.39 and 3:52.84, respectively.

The victory provided redemption for Lagat after losing to Ramzi over 1500m at the adidas Track Classic on 21 May, 3:32.34 to 3:32.94, in a race in which Ramzi set a U.S. All-Comers record.

Lagat failed to approach the U.S. All-Comers and meet record of 3:49.92 set in 2004 by recently retired Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco, who was honoured during the opening ceremonies, but was satisfied considering the wet conditions.

“Unlike like what I was feeling last week, this race I was feeling confident and strong,” Lagat said.

In the women’s 1500, two-time defending World champion Tomashova made a similar homestretch surge to win over Maryam Jamal of Bahrain (4:02.55) and Ethiopia’s Galeta Burka (4:02.68). Sarah Jamieson of Australia was fourth in 4:03.13 in a race that featured the quickest four performances of 2006.

In the men’s two mile, Ben Limo of Kenya defeated compatriot and 2005 Prefontaine winner Eliud Kipchoge, 8:10.59 to 8:12.29. Adam Goucher finished third in 8:12.73 to move into third on the all-time U.S. list.

Perry, Liu, Jackson Post hurdles victories

World champions Michelle Perry, Liu Xiang and Bershawn Jackson posted impressive hurdle wins in Sunday’s meet that had its first measurable rain fall during the competition since 1985.

Perry clocked 12.63 in the women’s 100m Hurdles after a pair of false starts to equal the top time in the world and nip Damu Cherry by a scant one one-hundredth of a second. Jamaican Brigitte Foster-Hylton was third in 12.74. Perry equalled Canada's Priscilla Lopes as the early-season World leader.

It was the inaugural Prefontaine appearance for Perry. The 2005 World Champion last competed at Hayward Field as a UCLA senior at the 2001 NCAA Championships when she competed in the Heptathlon, 100m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, 4 x 100m relay and 4 x 400m relay.

“It really felt like a break today,” Perry said with a laugh.

Perry, who clocked a wind-aided 12.61 at the adidas Track Classic, ran with a her right shin taped and said she was running cautiously because of the cool conditions and to avoid aggravating a tight calve and hamstring.

“I want to make it through the season but today was a good indication of where I can go,” Perry said.

In the men’s sprint hurdles, Liu, the Olympic champion, won for the second year in a row in 13.21 to hold off a fast closing Ladji Doucoure of France (13.33) and Allen Johnson (13.39). World Championships Indoor 60m Hurdles bronze medalist Dominique Arnold failed to finish after coming to a stop at the third hurdle after misjudging his steps.

Spearmon, Richards continue solid spring form

World leaders Wallace Spearmon and Sanya Richards continued their success over the half and full lap dashes.

Spearmon, the 2005 World Championships silver medalist, won the 200m easing to the finish in 20.27. Richards, also the silver medalist in Helsinki last summer, timed 50.89 in the women’s 400m to defeat Shericka Williams of Jamaica (51.29) and Ana Guevara of Mexico (51.62). LaShawn Merritt won the men’s 400m in 44.84.

Torri Edwards ran a season-best 11.08 out of Lane 7 on the eight-lane track, to win the women’s 100m in her best time after a two-year layoff.

“What’s important is just to run fast and get back to where I was before I left,” said Edwards, the 2003 World Champion. ”I have been able to drop my time each time. It’s been getting better and better and I am piecing it together.’’

Meet record for Davis in the Triple Jump

In a Triple Jump competition in which the meet record was broken three times, Walter Davis won in the final round with a 17.40 effort to overtake Nathan Douglas of Great Britain, who had assumed the lead on his last jump at 17.26m.

Davis, the reigning World champion indoors and outdoors, bounded 17.25m on his second attempt to break the record of 17.15m set in 2005 by Lii Xanxi to assume the lead until Douglas’ sixth-round jump.

In the men’s Long Jump, Miguel Pate sailed 8.27m to beat 2005 World Champion Dwight Philips (8.20m).

Olympic champion Tatyana Lebedeva won the women’s Long Jump with a wind-aided 7.00m and had the top three marks in the competition. Grace Upshaw (wind-aided 6.49m) and World champion Tianna Madison (wind-aided 6.46) were second and third.

Slesarenko, Walker and Gilreath winners as well

Olympic champion Yelena Slesarenko of Russia won the women’s High Jump with a third-attempt clearance at 1.99m. Amy Acuff and Chaunte Howard were second and third, both at 1.96m. Kajsa Berqqvist of Sweden was fourth at 1.93m.

Toby Stevenson won the Pole Vault in a jump off with Brad Walker at 5.50m. Erin Gilreath was the winner in the inaugural Prefontaine women’s Hammer competition at 69.82m.

Kirby Lee for the IAAF

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