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ATHS: Aussie Freeman squares off against Guevara AthsPrix
EUGENE, Oregon, May 22 AFP - The battle betweenOlympic champion Cathy Freeman and Mexico’s Ana Guevarain the 400 metres will highlight the 2003 PrefontaineClassic Athletics Grand Prix on Saturday.
The long jump competition between SavanteStringfellow, Miguel Pate and Dwight Phillips will alsobe a headline act for the event which lost world sprintchampion Tim Montgomery after he withdrew because of aleft Achilles tendon injury.
He flew home to be with his wife, Marion Jones, who isseven months pregnant. (ED -. they’re actually not married)
Freeman is attempting to return to top form in timefor the World Championships in Paris in August.
Guevara was undefeated in 2002, winning all 11 of herraces, and ran the fastest 400 in six years, 49.16seconds. (ED.- except for Freeman’s 49.11 to win Olympic gold three years ago)
She started this year just as hot, with a World Recordin the rarely-run 300 metres.
It will be Guevara’s first-ever appearance in thePrefontaine Classic.
The best long jump field in meet history is headlinedby athletes who were ranked in the top three in theworld last year.
Americans Stringfellow, Pate and Phillips are one tothree in the IAAF World Rankings list.
The meet record in the long jump is one of thelongest-lasting at 8.38 metres, by Joe Greene in 1992.
American Stacy Dragila and Russian Svetlana Feofanovawill battle in the pole vault.
The 22-year-old Feofanova will be making his (ED. try Her) firstappearance on US soil.
American veteran Gail Devers, 36, will be measuredagainst youthful compatriots Jenny Adams and MelissaMorrison and a trio of Jamaicans in the women’s 100m.
On the men’s side, Brit Dwain Chambers will face St.Kitts’ Kim Collins, while the American Larry Wade is thefavourite in the 110m hurdles.
AFP jad :mrt: