Athlete of the Hour Beauts & Busts Featured Expert Four Years Ago Gold Rush Heard Around Town Margin of Victory On the Spot Storylines

SYDNEY, Australia -- A pair of golden shoes and a national heroine took center stage at Olympic Stadium, and a veteran who couldn't jump higher than his competitors thought his way onto the medal stand.

On a cold Sunday night during which a downpour created puddles on the track, Michael Johnson cruised 400 meters in his golden shoes to earn a place in Monday night's final.

Cathy Freeman ran through the rain to win a spot in the women's 400 final. If she wins gold Monday night, don't be surprised if they name Olympic Stadium after her.

While the high-profile runners drew the flashbulbs, the high jumpers faced off in what turned out to be part championship boxing match, part chess match.

Russian Sergey Kliugin cleared 7-feet, 8 1/2-inches to take gold and win the bout. But Cuban Javier Sotomayor, the 1992 Olympic champion who had a doping sentence reduced so he could compete in these Games, passed at a lower height, then cleared 7-feet, 7 1/4-inches. Since he had fewer misses than others who cleared that height, Sotomayor's strategy brought him the silver medal.