This article from NYTimes.com has been sent to you by [EMAIL PROTECTED] /-------------------- advertisement -----------------------\ Let NYTimes.com Come to You Sign up for one of our weekly e-mails and the news will come directly to you. YOUR MONEY brings you a wealth of analysis and information about personal investing. CIRCUITS plugs you into the latest on personal technology. TRAVEL DISPATCH offers you a jump on special travel deals and news. http://email.nytimes.com/email/email.jsp?eta5 \----------------------------------------------------------/ Greene Wins Third Straight World Title in the 100 By CHRISTOPHER CLAREY EDMONTON, Alberta, Aug. 5 — Commonwealth Stadium was only half full tonight for the premier event in track and field, but Maurice Greene still gave the Canadians the full treatment: a third consecutive 100-meter world title in a dazzling time of 9.82 seconds. It was the third-fastest time in history, and it could have been faster than Greene's world record of 9.79 seconds if the powerfully built Kansan had not started feeling tightness in his left leg in the last 15 meters. He grimaced as he crossed the finish line, neglecting to lean even though the fellow American Tim Montgomery was closing fast to his left, and Greene was soon gingerly hopping and skipping like a beginning triple jumper instead of the planet's fastest man. But his fragile leg would give him no trouble on his latest flag-wrapped victory lap, and victory laps are fast becoming a tradition for Greene. At age 27, he has now won the last four major 100-meter titles, triumphing at the world championships in 1997 and 1999, winning at the Olympics last year and now winning at these world championships. "I want to be known as the greatest 100- meter sprinter ever," he said. "Maybe now people will start thinking of me like that." Greene took his victory lap alone, but two other Americans were with him on the medal stand. Montgomery finished in 9.85 seconds, the seventh-fastest time in history, and Greene's training partner Bernard Williams managed to close the gap on Ato Boldon in the final 10 meters to take the bronze in a personal-best 9.94 seconds. It was the third American sweep in this event in world championship history and the first since 1991 when Carl Lewis, Leroy Burrell and Dennis Mitchell finished 1-2-3. While the sprinters of the new millennium chase Greene, he is chasing Lewis, and the question is whether he has caught him. Both have won three world titles in the 100, but Lewis won two Olympic gold medals in the 100, along with seven other Olympic golds. Nonetheless, Britain's Dwain Chambers, who finished fifth tonight, believes Greene is "the greatest 100-meter sprinter of all time." Lewis's former long-jump rival, Mike Powell, concurs. "Maurice is clearly the best ever in the 100," Powell said. "Just look at the number of times he has run fast. But Carl is the greatest track and field athlete in history." After failing to qualify for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Greene watched the 100- meter final in tears as no American won a medal. He soon drove west to join Coach John Smith's training group in Los Angeles. Since then, he has not lost a major 100-meter race, has broken 10 seconds more than 30 times and has the three fastest times in history. "When I moved to John Smith, I said I wanted to bring U.S. sprinting back on top where I believe it should be," Greene said. "I believe today we have accomplished a great goal of putting the U.S. back on top. We came here and took the top three places. What more can you ask for?" Perhaps a full stadium, but Edmontonians, more familiar with blue lines than split times, came out in modest numbers and saved their biggest cheer for the retiring Canadian Donovan Bailey, the former Olympic champion and world-record holder who failed to advance out of the semifinals. Greene professed not to mind the empty seats. Though he usually prowls the track and licks his lips like a hungry carnivore before championship sprints, he was slightly more subdued during tonight's prologue: pacing his lane nervously as usual but projecting less predatory desire than in Seville, Spain, in 1999. Was Greene conserving his energy? Perhaps, and he would need all of it to get the better of Montgomery. Greene was helped by the fact that Montgomery, a compact South Carolinian, was unable to start as aggressively as he would have liked after a false start. (There were three tonight.) Greene got the best jump in the field and built slightly on his lead for the first 60 meters before losing ground, but not the gold, down the stretch. There was tension between Greene and Montgomery, who trained with Marion Jones's coach, Trevor Graham, in the weeks leading up to this race. Montgomery recorded the season's fastest time (9.84 seconds) in Oslo earlier this summer, and when he arrived in Canada, he made it clear that he intended to send Greene "a message" and break his world record in the process. He fell short on both counts, but the two still embraced when one of the fastest races in history was over. "Maurice is a great champion," Montgomery said. "He always gives his best. "I am looking forward to racing him again, and I will always be on his shoulder or in front of him." Greene has had tendinitis in his left knee throughout the season, although his problem tonight in the final 10 meters was in his upper leg. "I felt something in the quad, and then another step later, I felt something in my ham," he said, referring to his quadriceps and hamstring. As a result, he will not defend his title in the 200 this week (he has also been concerned about running the curve with his knee problem) and is uncertain whether he will be able to compete in the 4x100 relay. "Maybe, maybe not," he said. "The most important thing is I got this out of the way." FINISH LINES SHELIA BURRELL of the United States took a surprise bronze medal in the heptathlon, which was won by YELENA PROKHOROVA of Russia. . . . MARION JONES, the defending world and Olympic women's 100-meter champion, qualified with ease for Monday's semifinal by winning both her heats. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/06/sports/06TRAC.html?ex=998097627&ei=1&en=4820325a8b937d9c /-----------------------------------------------------------------\ Visit NYTimes.com for complete access to the most authoritative news coverage on the Web, updated throughout the day. Become a member today! It's free! http://www.nytimes.com?eta \-----------------------------------------------------------------/ HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact Alyson Racer at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Copyright 2001 The New York Times Company
