American Tyson Gay won the 100 metres in 9.88
seconds and Sanya Richards broke the 22-year-old American 400-metre
record at the World Cup on Saturday.
Taking advantage of the absence of the world record co-holder
Asafa Powell, who chose to run only in the relay, Gay ran close to
his personal best of 9.85. The world record is 9.77.
Three Canadians competed with Nathan Brannen of Cambridge, Ont.,
finishing sixth in the men's 1,500 metres, Lethbridge, Alta.'s James
Steacy taking sixth place in the men's hammer and Edmonton's Megan
Metcalfe ending up in ninth in the women's 3,000 metres.
On Sunday, more Canadians are in action with Brantford, Ont.'s
Kevin Sullivan (3,000), Carmen Douma-Hussar of Cambridge, Ont.,
(women's 1,500 metres), Toronto's Nicole Forrester (high jump),
Victoria's Gary Reed (800 metres), Scott Russell of Windsor, Ont.,
(javelin) and London, Ont.'s Jason Tunks (discus) all competing.
Gay's run made him the second-fastest 100 winner in the history
of the 10-year competition. Obadele Thompson of Barbados won the
1998 race in Johannesburg, South Africa in 9.87.
``I didn't expect to run that fast, so I am excited,'' Gay said.
``It was hard being in the outside lane.''
Richards breezed home in 48.70, the fastest time of the year.
Richards, a world silver medallist last year, was the first woman to
break 49 seconds this year and became the seventh fastest 400 runner
of all time. She is undefeated this year.
``I got into the blocks thinking `I want to break the record,'
and that's what I did,'' she said.
Valerie Brisco held the old mark of 48.83 since the 1984 Olympics
in Los Angeles.
``I am overwhelmed, I was shocked,'' Richards said. ``My dad said
watching the clock slowed me down, so I didn't look at the clock.
Everything he said came true.''
European champion Vania Stambolova of Bulgaria was second in
50.09.
Gay was never threatened in the 100 and crossed the line well
ahead of European champion Francis Obikwelu of Portugal, who clocked
10.09. Marc Burns of Trinidad was third in 10.14.
Jamaica's Powell never got to run in the relay _ his teammates
dropped the baton before they reached him.
Sherone Simpson of Jamaica stretched her winning streak to eight
when she cruised home in 10.97 in the 100. Former world champion
Torri Edwards, who replaced Marion Jones on the U.S. team, was a
distant second in 11.19.
Jones, a former Olympic champion, was chosen for the team after
being cleared to run when her backup drug test for EPO was negative,
but she decided Thursday that she was not in race shape.
Jones missed more than a month of competition following an
initial positive test for the endurance booster.
Jones was the last sprinter to beat Simpson, at a meet in Paris
earlier this year.
LaShawn Merritt compensated for the absence of world and Olympic
champion Jeremy Wariner, giving the U.S. a victory in the 400 in
44.54.
Merritt held off African world record holder Gary Kikaya of
Congo, who was second in 44.66.
After the first day of the two-day event, Europe led the men's
standings with 76 points, two more than the U.S. Russia led the
women's events with 65 points and Europe had 60. The U.S. was fifth
at 49.
