Mexico’s Guevara easily beats Freeman in 400m atPrefontaine
EUGENE, Oregon, May 24 (AFP) - Mexico’s Ana Guevararegistered the best performance of the year in the 400metres on Saturday, destroying the field in winning timeof 49.34 seconds at the 2003 Prefontaine Classic GrandPrix meet.
Guevara beat runner-up Tonique Williams of the Bahamas(50.39) by more than a second to break the meet recordof 50.02 set by Australia’s Cathy Freeman in 1998.
Freeman, the 2000 Sydney Olympic champion, finished adisappointing fifth on Saturday with a time of 51.70.
I didnt expect to run this fast,'' said Guevara. Iwas really surprised when I looked at the time. I amvery excited. The first 200 was a little hard. but a 49time this early in the season is fantastic.’’
Guevara was undefeated in 2002, winning all 11 of herraces, and ran the fastest 400 in six years, 49.16seconds.
She started this year just as hot, with a World Recordin the rarely-run 300 metres in a race that also featured Freeman. It wasGuevara’s first-ever appearance in the PrefontaineClassic.
Australia’s Jana Pittman had the previous best time ofthe year at 50.43.
Stacy Dragila won the women’s pole vault, beatingrival Svetlana Feofanova of Russia, who is the worldindoor champ.
I knew I needed to be on my toes,'' said Dragila.I didnt know how fit Svetlana is. Its good to goagainst her this early on, and I look forward tocompeting against her at the World Outdoors.’’
Dragila, of the US, jumped 4.62 metres on her secondtry, while Feofanova miss all three of her attempts atthe height.
Dragila then failed three times to scale the bar at4.75m.
Saint Kitts and Nevis sprinter Kim Collins proved hisrecent victory over Maurice Greene was no fluke, winningthe 100m in 10.00.
Collins, who ran a 9.92 earlier this year, beatTrinidad’s Darrel Brown (ED. PB 10.08sec) while European champ DwainChambers placed fourth in 10.17.
American Kelli White won the women’s 100m in 10.96,just off the meet record set last year by compatriotMarion Jones.
This gives me a lot of confidence,'' said White.Ive never really had a lot of confidence in the 100.To win against this field is great.’’
Jones did not run this year because she is expecting achild in a couple of months.
Jamaican Bridget Foster won the 100m hurdles in 12.45while American Larry Wade was the quickest in the 110mhurdles in 13.24.
Competing with a broken left arm suffered five weeksago, Wade prevailed against Haitian Dudley Dorival(13.43) and American Ron Bramlett (13.48).
He was not pleased.
That was a terrible race. I didnt get out, which isnormal for me,'' said Wade. Midway through, I hit acouple of hurdles. From then on I knew it wasnt going tobe fast so I just wanted to win.’’
sg/gph03
Athletics-USA
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