The Hindu : Another setback for Greene

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 09, 2003

Sport

Sport - Athletics

Another setback for Greene — a distant third

STANFORD (California) JUNE 8. Maurice Greene, struggling to regain his place as the world's dominant sprinter, had another setback on Saturday with a distant third-place finish in the 200 metres at the U.S. Open.

Greene got a sluggish start and was not able to run down J.J. Johnson on the final straightaway in a race bedevilled by strong wind. Johnson won in 20.26 seconds, followed by John Capel in 20.42 and Greene in 20.43.

Greene, the three-time reigning World champion in the 100m and a former World champion in the 200m, already has had his World record in the 100m smashed by Tim Montgomery.

But Greene continues to boast he's the sprinter to beat leading up to this August's world championships in Paris.

``I expected to run faster. It just didn't happen,'' Greene said. ``I came off the curve well, but I didn't run the straightaway that well today.''

Johnson, who went to the Oakland Raiders' training camp last season as a wide receiver, is a relative newcomer to track — having spent most of his high school and college days playing basketball.

Now he's a top challenger to Greene in the 200.

``You know, it's early in the season. What really counts is at the (U.S. national championships),'' Johnson said.

Those will be held at Stanford on June 19-22.

Another unexpected loser was Regina Jacobs, who has been one of the world's top middle-distance runners for years. She lost to Michelle Ballentine of Jamaica in the 800.

But Jacobs still hopes to win the 800 and 1,500 at this summer's world championships, which means she'll need to qualify for both those events back at Stanford in two weeks.

``I think it was good to get beat, because it's going to make me very hungry the next two weeks in my preparations,'' she said.

Other winners on Saturday included Miesha McKelvy in the women's 100m hurdles, John Godina in the men's shot put and Inger Miller in the women's 100m. Amy Acuff won the women's high jump.

Brian Frasure won the men's 100m paralympic event in 11.02 seconds, which would have been the fastest ever run by a below-knee amputee if not for a strong tail wind nearly twice the allowable amount.

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