19 February 2003 - Coby Miller won the 60 meters in 6.54 seconds and Christian Olsson took the triple jump at 17.40 meters for their second straight wins on the EuroSeries indoor athletics circuit Tuesday night.
Competing before a sellout crowd of 10,386 at the Globe Arena, the American edged European champion Jason Gardener of Britain by five-hundredths of a second in the men’s sprint. Third went to Nicolas Macrozonaris of Canada in 6.64.
Miller won the series opener two weeks ago at Gent, Belgium, in 6.50 after posting the fastest time of the year (6.49) in the heats.
The world record of 6.39 is held by fellow American Maurice Greene, who is injured and didn’t compete.
Olsson, the reigning European indoor and outdoor champion from Sweden, delighted his home fans with another impressive result that was a world seasonal best.
It was also the 26th consecutive time Olsson recorded a jump longer than 17 meters.
“I wouldn’t mind that my streak continues,” said Olsson, who beat runner-up Jadel Gregorio of Brazil by 36 centimeters. “I’m back, I felt good. I’ve worked so hard in last few meets to jump longer than 17 meters, but I felt very relaxed tonight.”
If Miller and Olsson win their events in the four-meet series they will earn 20,000 euros (US$21,468). The remaining meets are Friday in Birmingham, England, and Sunday in Lievin, France.
Tim Lobinger of Germany, last year’s European indoor champion, cleared 5.82 meters for another world’s best this year to win the men’s pole vault.
Yuri Borzakovski, the European and world indoor champion, outkicked Kenyan-born Wilson Kipketer of Denmark to win the men’s 800. Borzakovski’s strong last lap enabled him to cross first in 1:44.34 for the fastest time of the year.
Kipketer, a three-time world champion and the world indoor record holder at 1:42.67, clocked 1:44.68 for second place. Switzerland’s Andre Bucher, the 2001 world champion, was a late scratch from the race.
Six world records have been set at the Globe since 1996. Russian pole vaulter Tatyana Polnova made three unsuccessful world record attempts at 4.77 meters after winning the event at 4.66.
Swedish European champion Kajsa Bergqvist won the women’s high jump at 2.03, then missed three times at 2.08.
Svetlana Feofana of Russia broke the world pole vault record recently by clearing 4.76. Heike Henkel of Germany set the world high jump mark of 2.07 in 1992.