HELSINKI, Aug 8: Lauryn Williams of the United States won the women’s 100 metres title at the world athletics championships here on Monday. The 21-year-old Olympic silver medallist timed 10.93 seconds to beat the Olympic bronze medallist Veronica Campbell of Jamaica running 10.95sec, a personal season’s best, while Christine Arron of France was third in 10.98sec.

“Silver at the Olympics felt good but gold here at the worlds is great,” said Williams. In the pouring rain Williams shot out of the blocks and, along with Chandra Sturrup, shared the lead neck and neck down the first 60 metres.

However, the Bahamian veteran, a bronze medallist in 2003, faded and Arron laid down her challenge but was never able to get within reach and it was Campbell who came late to edge second place just ahead of the French girl. For Campbell it meant an improvement on her showing at the Olympics last year while for Arron it was yet another disappointment at world level.

Despite her talent, the Frenchwoman has just the 1998 European title to show for all her efforts. Sturrup, 33, finished fourth while the big disappointment of the race was the Olympic champion Yuliya Nestarenko of Belarus, who found that four races in two days after racing just once prior to the championships was too much and finished stone last.

Earlier, Ethiopia’s Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele ran well within himself to retain his world 10,000 metres title on Monday and then said he would not double up in the 5,000.

After cruising in the middle of the pack for the first half of the race, Bekele surged to the front on the final lap and then kicked in the last 200 metres to outsprint compatriot Sileshi Sihine for victory in 27 minutes 8.33 seconds.

The pair finished in the same positions at last year’s Athens Olympics.

The 23-year-old Bekele had also been entered for the 5,000, which starts with a preliminary round on Thursday, but says he will not double up.

“I will not run the 5,000,” Bekele told reporters.

Bekele’s season was sadly interrupted when his 18-year-old fiancee suddenly died during a training run in January. After a period of mourning he recorded his fourth successive double at the world cross country championships a few weeks later.

Kenya’s Moses Mosop won the bronze on Monday to spoil what was expected to be Ethiopia’s second sweep of the championships after their women had dominated the 10,000 final.

Abebe Dinkesa Negera, who with Sihine had taken turns up front during the race, faded to seventh, while the fourth Ethiopian, Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam, never really featured.

Bekele never looked troubled on a track soaked by the day’s heavy rain but said he had found the going hard.

Bekele attempted the 10,000 and 5,000 double at the 2003 world championships and last year’s Athens Olympics.

He won the 10,000 at both events but failed to add the 5,000 titles, finishing third in Paris in 2003 and second at the Olympics.

The feat has never been achieved at the world championships and was last done at the Olympics in 1980.

The final of the 5,000 metres takes place on Sunday.—Reuters