Jeremy Wariner maintained his unbeaten
record in the 400 metres this season, holding off Gary Kikaya of
Congo to win at the World Athletics Final on Saturday.
The American finished in 44.02 seconds, just .03 seconds shy of
his goal to join his manager Michael Johnson as the only runners to
post four sub-44 races in a season. He has one more shot, when he
races in Shanghai in two weeks.
``I wanted to run under 44, but it just gives me something to
focus on next year,'' Wariner said.
In the end, it was tough enough to keep his unbeaten run going.
Kikaya threatened almost until the finish line and his time of 44.10
was an African record.
In front of about 25,000 fans at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium,
LaShawn Merritt set a personal best of 44.14 for third.
``They have been on my hips all season and today they really dug
deep and ran well,'' Wariner said. ``I just stayed focused until
through the line.''
More than 40 world and Olympic champions and world record-holders
gather for the World Athletics Final, a two-day meet centered on
extending unbeaten streaks, setting world records, and giving the
best athletes a b-millionrevent ewards anyone setting a world record
with US$130,000.
Allyson Felix won the 200 ahead of 400 specialist Sanya Richards
in 22.11, the fastest ever at a World Athletics final. Richards, who
already won a quarter of the US$1-million Golden League jackpot, set
a personal best of 22.17. Kim Gevaert of Belgium, the European
champion and this season's leading performer, finished in seventh.
In the 400 hurdles, Lashinda Demus proved why she is the best in
the world this year, dominating throughout the race to finish in
53.42, a huge .80 seconds ahead of Tiffany Ross Williams.
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi of South Africa kept his unbeaten streak in
Europe going with a strong finishing kick, edging Bram Som of the
Netherlands and Wilfred Bungei of Kenya. Mulaudzi's only loss this
season came at the African championships, when he finished sixth.
Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia jumped 6.92 metres to take the long
jump ahead of Bronwyn Thompson of Australia with 6.77. World leader
Tatyana Kotova finished fourth.
Canadians competing are hurdler Perdita Felicien of Pickering,
Ont., and Carmen Douma-Hussar of Cambridge, Ont., in the 1,500.
