rediff.com
rediff.com
sports
      HOME | SPORTS | OLYMPICS | NEWS
September 25, 2000

general news
general features
slide show
archives

SCHEDULE
GO

pick your sport


archery
badminton
baseball
basketball
beach volleyball
boxing
canoeing
cycling
fencing
football
gymnastics
handball
hockey
judo
pentathalon
rowing
shooting
show jumping
softball
swimming
table tennis
taekwondo
tennis
track events
triathalon
volleyball
waterpolo
weightlifting
wrestling
yatching

send this story to a friend

Anier Garcia stuns the field

The Rediff Team

Anier Garcia after his shock win. REUTERS/Ian Waldie The 110m hurdles race they said would be between defending champion Allen Johnson of the US, and world record holder Colin Jackson of Great Britain.

So much for punditry -- Cuba's Anier Garcia turned in a stunner of a run, breasting the tape in 13 seconds flat.

Terrence Trammell of the US came in second, in 13.16 and Mark Crear, who famously broke his arm 14 days before Atlanta, yet raced to a silver, this time had to settle for the bronze.

A false start seemed to upset the rhythm of the fancied runners -- Johnson in particular crashed into every hurdle in his path, and ended up coming fourth in 13.23.

The 24-year-old Garcia, the world silver medallist, in contrast, ran a near-perfect race, toppling the second hurdle but then hitting his rhythm to sail over the rest, heading his nearest rival by a good 0.16 of a second -- which, over the 110m, is one heck of a lead.

The big Cuban, who also won the 1997 indoor 60 metres gold, kept his form throughout the race, barely disturbing any of the 10 barriers to win by almost two metres.

Johnson went into the final as the only man under 13 seconds this season.

He had seemed the likely victor after winning in Atlanta four years ago and also taking the 1995 and 1997 world titles.

But Jackson, the world record holder, won his second world title last year when Johnson was forced out of the semifinals with injury.

There was meagre consolation for the pair, with Johnson finishing fourth and Jackson in fifth. Jackson's world record of 12.91 seconds at least survived the night, as did Johnson's Games record of 12.95.

Mail your comments

HOME | NEWS | MONEY | SPORTS | MOVIES | CHAT | INFOTECH | TRAVEL | NEWSLINKS
ROMANCE | WEDDING | BOOK SHOP | MUSIC SHOP | GIFT SHOP | HOTEL BOOKINGS
AIR/RAIL | WEATHER | FREE MESSENGER | BROADBAND | E-CARDS | EDUCATION
HOMEPAGES | FREE EMAIL | CONTESTS | FEEDBACK