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Journalism of Courage
SEVILLE, AUG 28: Maurice Greene of the United States won the first ever world championship double sprint gold on Friday by adding to his 100 metres title the 200m gold in 19.90 seconds.
The 100m world record holder had a convincing advantage at the finish line over Brazilian Claudinei da Silva, who got the silver in 20.00 seconds. Former junior world champion Francis Obikwelu got the bronze with 20.11 seconds.
No man had ever won 100 and 200m gold at world championships. The last to do so at the Olympics was Carl Lewis 1984 in Los Angeles. Greene can get a third gold in Seville as part of the US 4x100m relay team.
Shortly before the final the 1993 champion Frankie Fredericks had to withdraw because of hamstring problems. Defending champion Ato Boldon of Trinidad was injured and had not come to Spain at all.
The women’s race saw 100m silver medallist Inger Miller storm to the gold medal in a 1999 world best 21.77 seconds.
Miller, 27, held a massive lead over silver medallist Beverly McDonlad ofJamaica (22.22), but it took a photo-finish review of more than 10 minutes to determine that Merlene Frazer of Jamaica had won the bronze ahead of German Andrea Philipp, who also had 22.26.
That final took place without pre-race favourite and 100m champ Marion Jones of the United States, who injured herself in the semifinal.
The other medal events today were the men’s 400m hurdles plus the women’s 5,000m and 20km road walk, a new event which replaced the 10km track walk.
In preliminary action, the sentimental 100m hurdles favourite, reigning world and 1996 Olympic champion Ludmila Enqvist of Sweden, lowered her season best to 12.50 seconds.
Enqvist, who a month ago underwent surgery for breast cancer, advanced to tomorrow’s final with the 1993 and 1995 champion, Gail Devers of the United States, who won the other semifinal in 12.70.
The defending men’s 800m champion and world record holder Wilson Kipketer of Denmark comfortably reached Sunday’s final in 1:44.87, and so did his strongest challenger,Japheth Kimutai of Kenya, in 1:47.74 for his win in the second semifinal.
They will be joined by European title holder Nils Schumann of Germany (1:47.90) and 1996 Olympic silver medallist Hezekiel Sepeng of South Africa (1:45.20).
