ATHENS, 23 August 2004 — Justin Gatlin of the United States upstaged his illustrious rivals to win a classic Olympic 100 meters final yesterday in a personal best time of 9.85 seconds. The 22-year-old was flying at half way mark and just held off fast-finishing Francis Obikwelu of Portugal who finished one hundredth of a second behind.

Defending champion Maurice Greene of the United States took bronze a further hundredth back in 9.87 as the race produced the closest 1-2-3 finish since electronic timing began in 1968.

“I’ve been dreaming about this since I started racing,” said Gatlin. “I’ve lived for this moment. it was a very great race, the competition was stellar.”

The final took place in a wonderful atmosphere as the capacity crowd clapped and sang during a 20-minute build-up that must have left the athletes buzzing. Gatlin was last out of the blocks but picked up so well that he had opened up a one-meter lead at the halfway stage. As the line approached, however, Obikwelu and Greene began reeling him in.

But the finish came a meter too late for Obikwelu’s huge dip and it was Gatlin who was celebrating as he finished one hundredth of a second outside Donovan Bailey’s 1996 Olympic record of 9.84. “I’m feeling great, I can’t even be emotional, I can’t believe it’s happened,” Gatlin said.

Obikwelu, who milked the crowd as he danced and clapped before the race, was also happy. “I didn’t know how fast it was going to be but it was close, it was very fast. Today I did it, I thank God and I’m so happy that I expressed myself,” he said.

Greene was desperately close to becoming the first man to finish first in successive Olympic 100 meters finals — Carl Lewis retained his title in 1988 only after the disqualification of Ben Johnson but had no complaints.

Shawn Crawford of the United States finished fourth in 9.89, Jamaican Asafa Powell fifth in 9.94 and world champion Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis sixth in 10.00. It was the first time in Olympic history that five men had gone under 10 seconds.

Annus Wins Men’s Hammer Title

Adrian Annus added the Olympic gold medal to his European title in the final of the men’s hammer throw yesterday. The 31-year-old Hungarian recorded 83.19 meters with his third effort to relegate Japan’s Koji Murofushi to the silver-medal position.

Murofushi threw 82.91 with his final attempt with Ivan Tikhon of Belarus, the world champion and world leader this year, taking the bronze with 79.81. Annus is the fifth Hungarian to win the Olympic title.

Sweden’s Ideal Holm Takes Men’s High Jump Sweden’s Stefan Holm took the Olympic Games men’s high jump gold medal after being the only man to go clear at 2.36 meters here yesterday. Holm had been out of the medals prior to his winning jump, after requiring all three efforts at the previous height of 2.34m but, with the bar raised, he went clear at the first time of asking, just tickling the bar with his ankles. None of the other four men still in the competition could match the Swede.

“This was probably the best competition for a long time with four men in contention,” said Holm who became Sweden’s second track and field gold medalist of the Games following Carolina Kluft’s heptathlon win on Saturday. United States’ Matt Hemingway, a distant relation of the famous novelist, took the silver medal by virtue of having cleared all the heights up to and including 2.34m on his first attempt.

Jaroslav Baba took the bronze medal after also clearing 2.34m at his first attempt, but the Czech jumper had failures earlier in the competition. The United States’ James Nieto missed out on a place on the medal podium and finished fourth because he needed two attempts to conquer 2.34m.

Olsson Lands Men’s Triple Jump Gold

Skipping Swede Christian Olsson added Olympic gold to his World Championship title with a convincing victory in the men’s triple jump. The 24-year-old Olsson, a strong favorite before the final, leapt 17.79 meters, a Swedish outdoor record, with his second effort to claim a comfortable victory. Marian Oprea of Romania took the silver with 17.55 and Danila Burkenya of Russia snatched the bronze with 17.48, one centimeter clear of Cuban Yoandri Betanzos.

After a final marred by some chaotic judging, Olsson grabbed a Swedish flag and indulged in a joyous lap of honor. His gold came minutes after compatriot Holm had won the high jump gold and merely added to the ecstasy of the noisy Swedish contingent in the packed Olympic stadium.

After a fine opening effort of 17.69, Olsson surpassed the 17.72 he jumped in Paris at last year’s World Championships with his second effort and his 24-cm winning margin amply illustrated his superiority over the field.

The Swede passed on his final jump but four of his five hop-skip-and-jump efforts into the pit were greater than the second-placed Romanian’s best. Oprea, 22, recorded his 17.55 with his first jump. Burkenya did not impress with his first three efforts but reeled off three fine jumps of 17.45, 17.48 and 17.47 to sneak the bronze from 2003 world championships silver medalist Betanzos, who had leapt 17.47 with his second jump.

El Guerrouj Still on Course for Elusive Gold

Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj stayed on course for the Olympic gold medal which has eluded him in the two previous Games, with a commanding performnace in his 1,500 meters semifinal here yesterday.

The world record holder took control of his race early and dictated the tactics from the front before speeding up over the last lap to finish in 3mins 40.87sec. “I am confident it will be third time lucky for me. Just wait and see, I’ll make you believe me,” said El Guerrouj.

El Guerrouj fell in the 1996 Olympic final and was sensationally beaten in 2000 by Kenya’s Noah Ngeny after winning 28 straight finals leading into the Sydney Games. Kenya’s Bernard Lagat, percieved by many to be the main rival to El Guerrouj, also progressed to tomorrow’s final without too much fuss.

Lagat, along with his young compatriot Issac Songok, made all the early running but needed to move up a gear down the home straight just to be safe. Morocco’s Adil Kaouch won in 3:35.69 with Lagat stopping the clock in 3:35.84. Songok, the Kenyan champion and fourth fastest man among the Athens entries, made harder work of getting through to the final, slipping back on the last lap and finishing seventh, only getting through to the final as a fastest loser.

Devers Crashes Out to End Dream

Two-time Olympic 100 meters flat champion Gail Devers’ dream of landing the 100m hurdles Olympic crown ended dramatically here yesterday as she crashed out.

The 37-year-old American pulled up before the first hurdle of her opening round heat and fell to the ground clutching her left foot which was heavily strapped ending any hopes of her ever winning the title.

An American team official said that Devers had badly strained a calf muscle a week ago while training in Georgia, in the United States, and had worn the strapping during the 100m flat.

Her decision to run, after world champion Torri Edwards had her two year ban for doping confirmed, ensured that Olympic champion Marion Jones would not get a run.

Pittman Pulls Through as Greek Smashes Record

Australia’s 400 meters hurdles world champion Jana Pittman shrugged off an inflamed knee to reach the Olympic final as little-known Greek athlete Fani Halkia smashed the Olympic record yesterday.

Pittman chased home world record holder Yulia Pechenkina of Russia to book her place in Wednesday’s final. Pechenkina won in 53.31sec to 54.05sec for the 21-year-old Australian, although her position as sixth fastest qualifier overall will not guarantee the Australian a good lane draw.