Maurice Green and Marion Jones are world’s fastest

With Marion Jones winning the women’s 100 title 15 minutes earlier, it made it a mini sweep for the Americans.

Greene, 23, led from the start and saw off the challenges of defending and Olympic champion and world record holder Bailey, who finished second, and training partner Boldon, who finished a disappointing fifth.

“I wasn’t worried about who was the favourite, I was just worried about me,” Greene said.

Bailey clocked 9.91 for silver and at least the Canadian’s world mark of 9.84, set at last year’s Olympics, wasn’t beaten.

“I have been hurt for a while and have lost 14 pounds (seven kilos) since I last competed in Europe,” the deposed Canadian said.

“A lot of people on my staff didn’t want me to come but it’s my nature not to go down. If I am to go down I am going to go down fighting which is essentially what happened today.”

Boldon, who had theatened to break Bailey’s world mark after running 9.87 in the second round Saturday, crossed the line in 10.02 behind another American, Tim Montgomery, and Olympic 100 and 200 silver medalist Frankie Frederick of Namibia. Montgomery clocked a best ever 9.94 and Fredericks had 9.95.

Boldon, who said he had cramps during the race, ran to congratulate the new champion. “I might be sad but I’m happy for you,” he told Greene.

Only Bailey and former world record holder Leroy Burrell, who clocked 9.85 in Lausanne three years ago, have run faster than Greene, whose time ties that of Lewis, at the 1991 worlds in Tokyo, and Fredericks, in Lausanne last year.

Jones won a dramatic women’s 100-metre final for her first major international title. The 21-year-old American clocked 10.83 seconds in the final to edge Ukrainian runner Zhanna Pintussevich by .02 with veteran Merlene Ottey back in seventh.

In another dramatic twist, Ottey ran 60 metres alone after failing to hear a false start gun. The Jamaican walked slowly back for the restart and finished seventh in 11.29 after easing up in the final few strides, already beaten.

Gold for Freeman: Cathy Freeman of Australia today won the women’s 400 metres gold medal and with it $ 60,000 with a time of 49.77 seconds. The silver went to Jamaican Sandie Richards in 49.79 seconds and Jearl Miles-Clark (US) took the bronze in 49.90.

Frenchman is champ: Frenchman Stephane Diagana won the men’s 400 metres hurdles gold medal. Llewellyn Herbert (SA) took the silver and American Bryan Bronson the bronze.

Czech’s triple joy: Czech Sarka Kasparkova won the women’s triple jump gold. Rodica Mateescu of Romania took the silver and Ukrainian Yelena Govorova the bronze.RESULTS

Men’s 100m: 1 Maurice Greene (US) 9.86, 2 Donovan Bailey (Canada) 9.91, 3 Tim Montgomery (US) 9.94, 4 Frankie Fredericks (Namibia) 9.95, 5 Ato Boldon (Trinidad) 10.02, 6 Davidson Ezinwa (Nigeria) 10.10, 7 Bruny Surin (Canada) 10.12, 8 Mike Marsh (US) 10.29. 400m hurdles: 1 Stephane Diagana (France) 47.70, 2 Llewellyn Herbert (SA) 47.86, 3 Bryan Bronson (US) 47.88. Hammer: 1. Heinz Weis (Germany) 81.78, 2 Andrei Skvaruk (Ukraine) 81.46, 3 Vassily Sidorenko (Russia) 80.76.

Women’s 100m: 1 Marion Jones (US) 10.83, 2 Zhanna Pintussevich (Ukraine) 10.85, 3 Sevatheda Fynes (Bahamas) 11.03, 4 Christine Arron (France) 11.05, 5 Inger Miller (US) 11.18, 6 Melanie Paschke (Germany) 11.19, 7 Merlene Otteyu (Jamaica) 11.29, 8 Chryste Gaines (US) 11.32. 400m: 1 Cathy Freeman (Australia) 49.77, 2 Sandie Richards (Jamaica) 49.79, 3 Jearl Miles-Clark (US) 49.90. Triple jump: 1 Sarka Kasparkova (Czech Republic) 15.20, 2 Rodica Mateescu (Romania) 15.16, 3 Yelena Govorova (Ukraine) 14.67.