The Hindu : Sport : Gatlin clocks under 10 seconds

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 07, 2006

Sport

Sport

Gatlin clocks under 10 seconds

OSAKA (Japan): Olympic champion Justin Gatlin of the United States ran a blistering 9.95 seconds on Saturday in his first 100 metres of the new season.

It was a great start to 2006 for Gatlin, who has declared his goal this year is to break the `9.75 second' mark and break the world record of 9.77 held by Asafa Powell. The Jamaican clocked 10.10 seconds a week ago in the US.

Gatlin said he was happy with his time as it set the tone for a season in which he hopes to run consistently under 10 seconds. It was also far quicker than the 10.15 seconds it took him to win the corresponding race last year.

``It felt good this year. All season long, I have wanted to do sub-10. For my first meet, it sets the tone for that,'' said Gatlin, the winner of the 100m gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

``Last year... I was more sceptical about how the (Osaka) race would go. I came here this year with a lot of confidence. I knew what I had to do,'' he said.

Felix wins women's 100m

Allyson Felix U.S. captured the women's 100m title at the IAAF Japan Grand Prix in a time of 11.11 seconds, though she said she felt ``sluggish'' after her long flight to Japan.

``The race felt OK. I felt a little bit sluggish. I was just trying to work on my start,'' Felix said.

``This year, I am working on my consistency. I definitely need a little bit more improvement to be more consistent,'' she said.

Liu bags 110m hurdles

Chinese world record holder Liu Xiang returned from an ankle injury to win his first 110m hurdles of the season easily in 13.22 seconds, a time he said was far better than expected.

Liu caused a sensation in Athens in 2004 by equalling the world record of 12.91 seconds to win gold, becoming the first Olympic champion from Asia in a track event.

``I am very happy with the time. It was unexpectedly better than I thought,'' he said, admitting he had considered skipping the Osaka competition after spraining his ankle two months ago.

Selected results:

Men: 100m: 1. Justin Gatlin (U.S., 9.95), 2. Marcus Brunson (U.S.), 3. Shingo Suetsugu (Jpn); 200m: 1. Shinji Takahira (Jpn, 20.48), 2. Daniel Batman (Aus), 3. Yusuke Omae (Jpn); 400m: 1. Gary Kikaya (Congo, 45.06), 2. Yuzo Kanemaru (Jpn), 3. Leonard Byrd (U.S.); 5000m: 1. Martin Irungu Mathati (Ken, 13:05.55), 2. James Mwangi Murigi (Ken), 3. Josephat Muchiri Ndambiri (Ken); 110m hurdles: 1. Xiang Liu (Chn, 13.22), 2. Maurice Wignall (Jam), 3. Masato Naito (Jpn); 400m hurdles: 1. Bershawn Jackson (U.S., 47.60), 2. Periklis Iakovakis (Gre, 47.82), 3. Kenji Narisako (Jpn).

Women: 100m: 1. Allyson Felix (U.S., 11.11), 2. Stephanie Durst (U.S.), 3. LaVerne Jones (Virgin Islands); 400m: 1. Asami Tanno (Jpn, 51.84), 2. Estie Wittstock (RSA), 3. Rosemary Hayward (Aus); 1500m: 1. Sarah Jamieson (Aus, 4:03.51), 2. Yuriko Kobayashi (Jpn), 3. Mika Yoshikawa (Jpn); Long jump: 1. Kumiko Ikeda (Jpn, 6.86), 2. Bronwyn Thompson (Aus), 3. Maho Hanaoka (Jpn). — Agencies