Collins wins 100m while Americans struggle

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) -- The evening started out badly for the Americans at the World Track and Field Championships, then got a whole lot worse.

The United States was shut out in the men's 100 meters for only the second time in the meet's history Monday night as Kim Collins, a self-proclaimed "lazy" sprinter from the tiny Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis, won the title in a snail-paced 10.07 seconds.

It was the slowest time at the worlds since Carl Lewis won, also in 10.07, two decades ago. All had been under 10 seconds since. Two years ago in Edmonton, five sprinters broke the 10-second barrier.

Collins was sixth in that race, with the same time that won it Monday night. Silver medalist Darrel Brown, just 18, of Trinidad and Tobago, and bronze medalist Darren Campbell of Britain both were clocked in 10.08, as was fourth-place finisher 10.08.

World record-holder Tim Montgomery was fifth at 10.11, just behind Britain's Dwain Chambers. Bernard Williams, the only other U.S. sprinter in the race, was sixth in 10.13.

Collins tried to defend the slowness of the race.

"We were going to run under 10 seconds," he said, "but everybody was running very fast from the first round, so we were getting tired. Whoever was the strongest man was going to win. I must be the strongest man."

Three-time defending champion Maurice Greene wasn't even in it. He injured his left quadriceps two steps out of the blocks and hobbled in next-to-last in the semifinals.

"Right now, my soul is more hurt because I hate to give it up like that," Greene said.

Montgomery and Williams swept past reporters without even looking up.

"It's a different time," Collins proclaimed. "We have a new breed. It was time for us. We came here to win. Everyone is always talking about the Americans. We wanted to win also. To come here and have the Caribbean go 1-2, Britain in third, it's been a great day."

The 40,000 or so inhabitants of St. Kitts and Nevis surely were proud.

"This is the biggest thing since the country had its independence back in 1983," Collins said. "Trust me, it's going to be a little bit crazy down there."

There were other U.S. disappointments. Stacy Dragila, the two-time defending champion in the women's pole vault, wound up tied for fourth.

Raasin McIntosh fell on the eighth hurdle in her qualifying heat at the women's 400-meter hurdles and had to be helped off the track.

Even in victory, there was a sour taste for the Americans. Some fans in the Stade de France whistled in derision as "The Star-Spangled Banner" was played during the gold-medal ceremony for women's 100 champ Kelli White, who won Sunday. It was the only gold for the United States in the first three days of competition.

The night began with the IAAF, the international governing body of the sport, ordering USA Track and Field to punish sprinter Jon Drummond for his temper tantrum following his disqualification from the second round of the 100 meters Sunday.

When he was called for a false start, Drummond ranted to officials, then lay down on his back in front of his starting block, a meet official holding the red foul card above him.

"There must be some disciplinary action," IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai said. "This is unsportsmanlike and damaging behavior and should not happen again."

USA Track and Field must reach its decision by 8 p.m. Tuesday, local time.

If the IAAF isn't satisfied with the U.S. action, the world body can impose its own sanctions against Drummond, including suspending him from the rest of the championships, Gyulai said. Drummond is eligible for the 400-meter relay.

Drummond's behavior and the IAAF ruling renewed debate over a new IAAF rule, which disqualifies a person who commits the second false start in a race, regardless of who commits the first.

"Ask any sprinter, and 95 percent of them will say they want it to go back to the way it used to be," Greene said.

Meanwhile, Russia's Svetlana Feofanova won the women's pole vault Monday, Jacques Freitag of South Africa won the men's high jump and Sweden's Christian Olsson won the men's triple jump.

Two-time world champion Jonathan Edwards of Britain ended his career with a last-place finish in the final of the triple jump, an event in which he also holds the world record and the Olympic title.

"I'm a little bit overwhelmed, but I've had my time and it was great," Edwards said while on the verge of tears during an interview on the BBC. "My leg was fine tonight, I just had nothing there. Going out after two rounds was the right thing to do because I was not competitive."