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| September 7, 2003 | Sunday | Rajab 9, 1424 |
Mutola first winner of $1m Golden League jackpot
BRUSSELS, Sept 6: World champion Maria Mutola powered to victory in the 800 metres to become the first outright winner of the $1 million Golden League jackpot in the final meeting of the series on Friday.
Sprinters Kelli White and Asafa Powell were also victorious on their returns to the track after both were involved in controversy at last month’s world championships.
American White won the women’s 100 and 200 metres in Paris but is likely to be stripped of her medals after testing positive for a stimulant, while Jamaican Powell was disqualified, along with Jon Drummond, from the second round of the men’s sprint.
White, 26, held off fast-finishing compatriot Chryste Gaines to win the 100 metres in Brussels in 10.87 seconds. Gaines was one hundredth of a second behind with Torri Edwards, world silver medallist, completing an American sweep in third (10.98).
White tested positive for the stimulant modafinil after her world 100 metres victory. It is not yet a banned substance but is due to be added to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) list next year.
The Californian said she had been prescribed modafinil to treat narcolepsy, or sleepiness.
Powell was the surprise winner of the men’s 100 in a personal best time of 10.02, ahead of Americans Justin Gatlin (10.09) and Bernard Williams (10.10).
Mutola’s victory surprised no one. The 30-year-old from Mozambique had won the previous five Golden League meetings and pulled away from the field on the final bend to win in 1:57.78.
Mutola said she was going to donate some of the jackpot money to her foundation.
Haile Gebrselassie won the final race of the night, the men’s 10,000 metres, but failed to break his world record.
The Ethiopian, who was second to compatriot Kenenisa Bekele over the distance at last month’s world championships, won the race in 26:29.22, the fastest time of the year.
Earlier, Qatar’s world champion Saif Saaeed Shaheen won the 3,000 metres steeplechase in the fastest time of the year, eight minutes 0.06 seconds ahead of Kenyan Paul Koech (8:00.42).
The 20-year-old Shaheen, who was born in Kenya but was granted citizenship of the Gulf state last month, gestured for his former team mate to take the lead with two laps to go before attacking in the final 300m for victory.
Results:
Women’s 400 metres hurdles (GL) 1. Yuliya Pechonkina (Russia) 53.49 seconds 2. Sandra Glover (US) 53.87 3. Ionela Tirlea (Romania) 54.83
Women’s javelin (GL) 1. Tatyana Shikolenko (Russia) 61.36 metres 2. Steffi Nerius (Germany) 60.68 3. Nikolett Szabo (Hungary) 58.41
Men’s 3000 metres steeplechase (GL) 1. Saif Saaeed Shaheen (Qatar) eight minutes and 00.06 seconds 2. Paul Koech (Kenya) 8:00.42 3. Simon Vroemen (Netherlands) 8:09.18
Men’s 400 metres 1. Cedric Van Branteghem (Belgium) 45.02 2. David Canal (Spain) 45.64 3. Jimisola Laursen (Sweden) 45.74
Women’s 5000 metres 1. Derartu Tulu (Ethiopia) 14:44.22 2. Isabella Ochichi (Kenya) 14:47.70 3. Edith Masai (Kenya) 15:06.64
Men’s 100 metres (GL) 1. Asafa Powell (Jamaica) 10.02 2. Justin Gatlin (U.S.) 10.09 3. Bernard Williams (U.S.) 10.10
Men’s 800 metres (GL) 1. Wilfred Bungei (Kenya) 01:42.52 2. Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (South Africa) 01:42.89 3. Hezekiel Sepeng (South Africa) 01:43.12
Women’s 100 metres (GL) 1. Kelli White (U.S.) 10.87 2. Chryste Gaines (U.S.) 10.88 3. Torri Edwards (U.S.) 10.98
Women’s 1500 metres (GL) 1. Sureyya Ayhan (Turkey) 03:55.33 2. Yelena Zadorozhnaya (Russia) 04:00.12 3. Yekaterina Rozenberg (Russia) 04:00.58.—Reuters
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