Rajeev scalps Dan O8217;Brien

NEW DELHI, May 12: Rajeev Balakrishnan who set the last National Games in Pune alight with a five-medal performance, seems to be getting ready for another sterling show. According to information reaching here, the sprinter-hurdler, who reached the 400m hurdles final at the 1994 Asian Games, claimed a memorable scalp when he beat decathlon world record holder, Dan O8217;Brien in a 100m race at the Cardinal Invitational meet at the Stanford University.

Rajeev clocked 10.58 seconds, one hundredth of a second faster than his own national record electronic of 10.59 seconds. O8217;Brien clocked 10.88 seconds and ended fifth in the race. O8217;Brien is using these meets as a preparation to defend his World decathlon title at the World Championships in Athens this August.

Rajeev, it may recalled, has to his credit a time of 10.53 seconds clocked at the Long Beach Invitational on April 19. But that record is yet to be ratified by the Amateur Athletic Federation of India.