LONDON, 8 August 2003 — World 100m record holder Tim Montgomery vowed yesterday to prove his poor showing in Stockholm earlier this week was just a temporary glitch when he competes in the Super Grand Prix meet at Crystal Palace here today.
Montgomery, 28, finished just sixth Tuesday in a race which he claimed beforehand was tailor-made for him.
And in the absence of triple world champion Maurice Greene, Montgomery is gunning to put British 100m rival Dwain Chambers in his place, as the countdown begins to the world championships in Paris in two weeks.
“Stockholm was the most embarrassing moment in my life — and I don’t want to be embarrassed again. This is the benchmark for me. Now it’s make or break,” said Montgomery.
“I know the form and the performances are there. It’s just a matter of them coming out. Crystal Palace is the pivotal part of my season in terms of my quest for gold in Paris. No one can ever say that I’m slow because in the past I ran 9.87secs.”
Montgomery has been denied a showdown with Greene as the Olympic and world champion failed to agree terms with the organizers. But despite Greene’s loss of form after struggling with injuries for the past couple of years, Montgomery refused to write off his American rival’s chances in Paris.
“Maurice Greene put the benchmark up for the 100m,” he said. “He set the standard — 9.9secs means nothing now if you don’t do it every time.
“What he did to the 100m was remarkable and you can’t count him out. It’s like a video game. Once you’ve done it once you can do it again.” Chambers, meanwhile, is equally confident of his chances.
Meanwhile, Triple Olympic champion Marion Jones will make her comeback after giving birth to her first child at the Golden League meeting in Brussels in September, her sprint star boyfriend Tim Montgomery said.
The Olympic 100m and 200m champion has not raced this year after taking time out for the birth of their son Tim Jnr.
Jones, 27, will not compete at this month’s World Championships, although she is likely to travel to Paris to watch Montgomery, the men’s 100m world record holder.
She may run at a low-key meeting in the United States before returning to world-class action in Brussels on Sept. 5.
