|
|
| |
| ||
|
 Finally first Jarrett breaks through for hurdles win; Wanjiru wins 10,000 for Kenya
Posted: Sunday September 20, 1998 12:07 PM
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- English hurdler Tony Jarrett finally broke through for a major gold medal Sunday but was forced to hold up his celebrations for several agonizing seconds. Jarrett, the perennial bridesmaid behind missing world record holder Colin Jackson, edged out Trindad's Steve Brown in an ugly 110-meter hurdles final at the Commonwealth Games. Brown thought he had won and Jarrett had no idea. The Englishman's big-time experience showed at the finish as his dip stopped the clock at 13.47 seconds, .01 faster than Brown. I'm just glad I've got a gold medal around my neck, said Jarrett. After the finish I thought I had a chance but I told myself, `Don't jump up and down just yet.' I did that once at the Olympic Games when I thought I had a bronze but I was only fourth. Jarrett was referring to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, one of many near misses at the top level. He was second in the 1990 and 1994 Commonwealth Games, has two seconds and a third from the past three world championships, and a second and a third from the European titles, and fell in the quarterfinals of the 1996 Olympics. With Jackson deciding to run for money in Tokyo instead of medals in Malaysia, Jarrett was the hot favorite. He shot out of the start while everyone else was preparing for the gun, and the nerve-wracking false start meant he decided to run cautiously when the race finally got under way. In finals if I win it I don't mind if I run 14 flat, Jarrett said of the pedestrian time. Brown admitted he paid too much attention to Jarrett. I'd be lying if I said I didn't keep an eye on him, said Brown. I could sense where he was, so I could have concentrated a little bit more on what I was trying to do. While Jarrett celebrated his gold, Kenya's Ester Wanjiru maintained her country's amazing record on the track by winning the 10,000 meters. Wanjiru overtook Australia's Kylie Risk with 300 meters to go to cross the line in 33 minutes 40.13 seconds. Risk took silver and fellow Australian Clair Fearnley the bronze but Wanjiru added her gold to the Kenyan triumphs in the men's 800, 5,000, 10,000 meters and 3,000 steeplechase. South Africa gained golds in the men's pole vault and women's high jump. Botha, ranked second at home behind Okkert Brits, was well off his best of 5.91 meters, winning with 5.60. He had the gold secured at that height but took the bar up to 5.70 and snapped his pole on his first attempt. It didn't really affect me, said Botha, who was given another chance but missed all three jumps. It's not a very good height but it was hard because no one was pushing me. Hestrie Storbeck cleared 1.91 meters to win the high jump ahead of England's Joanne Jennings, who made the same height but lost in a jump off which took place because both had the same number of failures. Storbeck went clear at 1.89 again but Jennings failed. Alison Inverarity of Australia took the bronze with 1.88. The men's long jump also had a tie for first place with Peter Burge and fellow Australian Jai Taurima both leaping 8.22 meters. Burge was awarded the gold because of a better next best jump but Taurima missed the last three rounds because of a groin injury. New Zealand's world champion discus thrower Beatrice Faumuina won the gold medal by reaching 65.96 meters with her fifth attempt. She was behind Australian silver medalist Lisa Marie Vizaniari after three but took the lead with 62.84 on the fourth. I had a few niggles and I was a bit sore, said Faumuina. I'm just glad it's over. Faumuina said she was happy to see the end of a season dogged by tiredness, injury and non-stop travel. England's Tony Whiteman won his 1,500-meter semifinal in 3 minutes, 45.18 seconds to qualify fastest for Monday's final. Kenyan Laban Rotich won heat 2 in 3:46.71. In Sunday morning's marathons, Heather Turland, a 38-year-old mother of four who only started running in her early 30s, led an Australian 1-2 in the women's event. After finishing in 2 hours, 41 minutes, 24 seconds, she was hugged by one of her sons at the finish line before the whole family joined in the celebrations. Thabiso Moqhali pulled away from the field four miles (6.4 kilometers) from home in the men's race to win Lesotho's first Commonwealth Games gold. He finished in 2 hours, 19 minutes, 15 seconds. I am going to celebrate by dancing. I like dancing, said Moqhali.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. Terms under which this service is provided to you.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
