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Montgomery tripped up again; Devers, White also lose
By RAVI UBHA, Associated Press
Last Updated 11:08 a.m. PDT Sunday, June 29, 2003
GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) - Tim Montgomery is struggling - and he knows it.
The world record holder finished second to Britain’s Dwain Chambers in the 100 meters Sunday at the Norwich Union International.
Montgomery, beaten in the U.S. track and field championships last weekend, had a time of 10.26 seconds, running with the wind at his back. His time was well off the world mark of 9.78 he set in Paris in September.
“If 10.26 was my time, I’ve got a lot of work (to do),” Montgomery said.
At the trials in Stanford, Calif., he stumbled early before recovering to finish second behind veteran Bernard Williams and qualify for the World Championships in Paris in August.
Montgomery was hurt by his start Sunday. He said he was caught off-guard by the starter’s gun.
“I think all of us agreed we weren’t really ready to get set properly at the start,” said Montgomery, who has not run under 10 seconds this year. "Dwain caught it on the way up.
“But that’s the buildup to the (World Championships). Expect the unexpected.”
Chambers, who beat Montgomery and former world record holder Maurice Greene last year, finished in 10.15 for his first win of the season.
Mark Lewis-Francis, coming off a win at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway, on Friday, was third in 10.28.
“It was a fast gun,” said Chambers, the reigning European champion. “I just wanted to go out and run as well as possible. I didn’t think about anything.”
Montgomery, who faces rival Greene in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Tuesday, is optimistic about his chances in Paris.
“I had a lot of defeats and came out (to break the record last year),” Montgomery said. “It’s the finish line and end of season that counts.”
Montgomery wasn’t the only American to struggle in the meet featuring athletes from the United States, Britain and Russia.
Kelli White, who set personal-best times in winning the 100 and 200 at nationals, was fourth in the 200, finishing in 23.60 after what she thought was a false start. White ran 22.21 in California.
“There was an echo kind of a sound and it threw me off,” said White, who finished second in the 100 in Oslo.
“There was only so much work I could do. I tried to come up but I didn’t want to hurt myself out here so I kind of took it easy.”
The U.S. still won the meet for the second straight year, totaling 137 points. Russia was second (113), and Britain was third (109).
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gail Devers finished second to Russian Marina Kislova in the 100. Kislova, at 11.34 seconds, was 0.16 seconds faster than Devers.
Devers said she was still focusing on the 100-meter hurdles.
“Leading up to the nationals, I wanted to work on my speed,” said Devers, a three-time world champion in the hurdles. “That’s why I jumped into the 100.”
David Krummenacker, the world indoor champion, won the 800 in 1 minute, 46:10 seconds.
Williams didn’t compete Sunday in the 100 but won the 200 in 20.95. He also was part of the 400-meter relay team that narrowly Britain. Montgomery didn’t compete in the relay.
Grace Upshaw upset Russian Tatyana Kotova - a silver medalist at the 2001 worlds - to win the women’s long jump with a personal-best leap of 22 feet, 11 1/4 inches. Dwight Phillips, the world indoor champion, won the men’s with a leap of 26-10.