News23 Jul 2010


Men's 400m final

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Kirani James improves on the silver he won two years ago with gold in the 400m (© Getty Images)

old Kirani James of Grenada fulfilled all the pre-race expectations when winning the men’s 400m final here in Moncton in 45.89.

James, last year’s double World Youth champion and a junior silver medallist two years ago in Bydgoszcz, came into these championships as the outstanding favourite for gold his World season leading time 45.01 more than 5 tenths of a second faster than any other man in the field.

However, James was chased all the way to the wire by Marcell Deak Nagy his 46.09 silver medal winning effort making him only the second Hungarian ever to win a World junior medal in a running event.

Running on the outside lane 8, Texas-based Errol Nolan was well clear of all pursuers and made sure the US had at least one man on the podium in 46.36.

James had looked impressive in the previous rounds and as expected he went out fast from the gun, some may think a little too fast. He caught up the stagger with Canada’s Alistair Brown on his right 150 metres into the race and carried on making ground half way through the final bend.

Weather conditions have been far from ideal today in Moncton with heavy downpours hampering the morning session and although the track was still wet, it had stopped raining a short while before the evening session started.

James did not seem at his best coming off the final bend, Deak Nagy closing increasingly fast on the tall Grenadian. James let the class speak for itself in the finishing stages of the race to become the third sprinter after Dexter Lee and Jodie Williams yesterday to add junior gold to his youth gold of last year.

Germany’s Marco Kaiser finished strongly and clocked 46.79 in fourth ahead of World Youth silver medallist Joshua Mance of the US in fifth at 46.84.

Moona, who had desperately tried to hold to James’ devastating pace in the early part of the race paid for his efforts and had to be content with 7th in 47.38.

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