Marion Jones’ dream turns into nightmare

Nigerian sprinter Francis Obikwelu put Greene on warning when he ran a blistering 200m semi-final — clocking 19.84 secs, two hundredths of a second faster than the American has ever run the distance.

Jones injury robbed her of an almost certain gold. The 23-year-old has not been beaten over 200m for two years.

Sprinter Chandra Sturrup (Bahamas), competing against the American, said Jones looked uncomfortable before the start of the race. “I could see she was in trouble before we got down on the blocks. She was rubbing her back,” Sturrup said.

The 23-year-old 100m champion had just entered the home straight when she visibly began to slow.Suddenly she grimaced in pain, put her left hand to the small of her back and stopped before falling prostrate on her back.

Husband CJ Hunter, who last Saturday won the shot put title, swore as he saw his wife fall. He smashed his fist into the seat in front of him in the stands before dashing to her side.

Four trackside officials helped lift Jones onto a stretcher, and with the massive Hunter leading the way, she was wheeled down the track to the exit and into the treatment room.

Greene, the 100m World record holder, timed 20.10 secs in his semi-final and although he slowed up near the line, the Nigerian’s time has given him plently to think about.

But Greene, insisted he was still on track for the title. “It went well,” he said. “I am feeling sore in some places because I am taking my body to places it has never been. It is a challenge but I love challenges.”

Former World champion Frank Fredericks moved into the final but will wait until today before deciding whether to run or not tomorrownight.

Fredericks pulled out of the 100m competition earlier in the week with a pinched nerve in his back and it is still troubling him.

GREAT BRITON: Britain’s Colin Jackson drew on all his experience to win the 110m hurdles title — six years after his last title.

The 32-year-old World record holder looked beaten as he trailed Cuban Anier Garcia and American Duane Ross in the dash for the line but the Welshman dipped at the last second to snatch a dramatic victory.

But it was several seconds before he knew the gold was his. Garcia thought he had done enough to take the title but when the announcer shouted out Jackson’s name the Briton immediately grabbed a Union Jack and the Welsh flag to make his lap of honour — his face split in a wide grin.

Cuba’s Daimi Pernia ran the fastest race of her life to win the 400m hurdles title. Pernia had never run faster than 53.44 seconds but her 52.89 gave her victory over defending champion Nezha Bidouane by one hundredth of a second.

INDIANCHALLENGE: India’s Sunita Rani ran a brave race to match her personal best under energy-sapping humidity, but could finish only 10th and failed to qualify from the first heat of the women’s 5000 metres.

The 19-year-old Asian Games silver medallist clocked a splendid 15 minutes, 41.81 seconds but could not produce the final spurt in a race won by Romania’s reigning champion and world record-holder Gabriela Szabo, who returned 15:32.50.

The Punjab runner, who was entered in both the 1500m and the 5000m, had arrived at the World meet hoping to go much under her National mark (15:41.4 — hand timed) clocked at the Federation Cup meet in Bangalore on August 9.She improved upon her previous best effort at the international level, the 15:54.47 she ran to claim silver at the Bangkok Asian Games last December, in coming home with the second bunch in a field of 21 runners.

India, who entered nine members, had made a disappointing start when discus throwers Shakti Singh and Neelam Singh failed to make it tothe final from their qualifying rounds.

The 38-year-old Shakti Singh had ended 25th with 18.58m, far below his National mark of 19.85m set at Thiruvananthapuram on August 3.

Asian Games bronze medallist Neelam finished 14th in a field of 16, touching 57.05m in the qualifiers. She had achieved 55.09m at Bangkok but her National mark set at Thiruvananthapuram on August 2 stands at 60.28m.

Woman javelin thrower Gurmeet Kaur and the women’s 4x400m relay squad are still left in the fray.

RESULTS

Men’s 110 hurdles (final): 1. Colin Jackson (GBR) 13.04 sec, 2. Anier Garcia (Cub) 13.07, 3. Duane Ross (US) 13.12

Women’s 400m hurdles (final):

1. Daimi Pernia (Cub) 52.89 sec, 2. Nezha Bidouane (Mar) 52.90, 3. Deon Hemmings (Jam) 53.16

Women’s shot put (final):

1. Astrid Kumbernuss (Ger) 19.85m, 2. Nadine Kleinert (Ger) 19.61, 3. Svetlana Krivelyova (Rus) 19.43