PARIS, 26 August 2003 — Kim Collins honored his promise to put the tiny Caribbean island of St. Kitts and Nevis on the map when he won the men’s 100m world title here yesterday adding it to the Commonwealth Games crown he won last year.

The 27-year-old came home in 10.07sec — in a race missing three-time world champion Maurice Greene who had bowed out in the semifinals — to edge out 20-year-old Darrel Brown of Trinidad and Tobago while Britain’s Darren Campbell was third, both timing 10.08sec.

“Now hopefully this victory will make the island that much bigger,” grinned Collins, who took world bronze in the 200m two years ago from lane one — the same lane he occupied yesterday.

“I tried to get lane one because no-one really likes that lane. Maybe the others thought I was tired from the semi-finals as a result,” said Collins. “I knew they were all coming for me and I actually thought Darrel had won it.”

Brown, who is the reigning world junior champion, said he was delighted to have made it a Caribbean 1-2.

World recordholder Tim Montgomery was fifth while European champion Dwain Chambers was fourth in the same time as compatriot Campbell, who was overjoyed at his medal. “I’ve been focused all year even if it hasn’t been a good one,” said the 2000 Olympic silver medalist in the 200m. However I knew I would get it right here.”

Greene had exited after finishing second last in his semifinal with a thigh injury. “I got a great start but I felt my quadricep, felt a muscle pop in my left thigh and it just got worse as I went down the track,” said Greene, who now has just the Olympic title to his name.

Sweden’s Christian Olsson came of age with a comprehensive victory in the men’s triple jump as defending champion Jonathan Edwards pulled out during the competition. The 23-year-old Swede, so long in the shadow of world record holder Edwards in major events, had a best of 17.72 meters as the veteran Briton ended his athletics career with a whimper, withdrawing from the event after two jumps.

Pan-American champion Yoandri Betanzos of Cuba won the silver medal with a jump of 17.28 meters and Bahamian Leevan Sands took bronze with 17.26. European champion Olsson won the competition with his opening jump, which was the second longest of the year and just five centimeters short of his best this season.

Olsson, runner up to Edwards in Edmonton, jumped over 17 meters on the first five of his six attempts. Assured of victory before his final jump, Olsson celebrated on the runway before leaping a modest 15.33. He then set off on a lap of honor draped in the Swedish flag.

Edwards, 37, who injured his right ankle during the London grand prix earlier this month, could only manage 14.06 meters on his first attempt. The Olympic champion improved to 16.31 on his next jump but grimaced as he landed in the sand. Edwards announced last Friday he would retire after the championships.

Russia’s Svetlana Feofanova ended Stacy Dragila’s supremacy in the women’s pole vault at major events by winning gold yesterday.

The 23-year-old Feofanova equaled the championship record of 4.75 meters at her first attempt to win an eventful final that Dragila left after failing to clear 4.60 meters.

German Annika Becker took the silver medal with 4.70 meters, while world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia won the bronze with 4.65 meters.

Irina Yatchenko added to Belarus’ growing medal haul by winning the women’s discus gold medal yesterday. Yatchenko’s first effort of 67.32 sufficed for victory. Greece’s Anastasia Kelesidou was second with 67.14m while her compatriot Ekaterini Voggoli took the bronze with 66.73m.

South Africa’s Jacques Freitag won the men’s world high jump gold yesterday with a leap of 2.35 meters. The former world youth champion was the only man to clear that height, succeeding with his second attempt.

Sweden’s Stefan Holm took silver and Canada’s Mark Boswell won bronze. Both had a best of 2.32 with Holm, twice world indoor champion and fourth in the Sydney Olympics, taking the silver on countback.