The Electronic Telegraph Tom Knight (Filed: 09/09/2001) SWITZERLAND'S Andre Bucher scooped the $150,000 (£107,000) top prize here at the International Association of Athletics Federations' Grand Prix Final. At the end of a long summer of 28 grand prix meetings, Bucher's experience of the variable Melbourne weather enabled him to execute the tactics he needed to beat Russia's Yuriy Borzakovskiy in the 800 metres. But Bucher also needed Allen Johnson, the world champion from the United States, who led him by two points in the overall Grand Prix rankings, to lose in the 110m hurdles. Johnson's misfortune was to run into an in-form Anier Garcia, the Olympic champion from Cuba, who trailed the American by more than a metre at halfway before bustling his way over the final three barriers to win by just 0.06sec. The consolation for Johnson lay in the £90,000 he was still able to claim as runner-up in his event as well as in the overall rankings. For Bucher, victory meant the completion of a "perfect season" which also included winning the world title and $60,000 in Edmonton and a share, worth $78,000, of the IAAF jackpot for winning at five of the seven Golden League meetings. Bucher said: "It's been a very good month but I was very lucky that Allen did not have his best race today. "I have been to Melbourne five times and I know how cold and windy it can be at this time of the year so I prepared for a tactical battle with extra sprint sessions in training. "I've known some hard times as an athlete which makes winning so much money that more special." Deciding the women's top prize was more straightforward with Violeta Szekeley continuing her winning ways in the 1500m. The 36-year-old Romanian employed her finishing sprint to perfection to triumph in 4min 3.46sec. The biggest surprise came in the women's 3,000m, where there was a shock defeat for Olga Yegorova. In a painfully slow-run race, victory went to her training partner, Tatyana Tomashova, in 9min 30.39sec. Yegorova finished third. Kelly Holmes proved the best of the four British athletes who managed to make their seasons last this long, finishing second to Maria Mutola, the world and Olympic champion in the 800m. There were fourth places for Christian Malcolm in the 200m and Steve Backley in the javelin while Colin Jackson was a distant fifth in the 110m hurdles. None of them left Olympic Park empty-handed, however. Malcolm's $10,000 for fourth place took his earnings in Australia over the past week to $19,000 while even Jackson picked up $8,000. Eamonn Condon www.RunnersGoal.com
