ROME, July 13: Olympic and world champion Maurice Greene confirmed his return to form, winning the 100 metres in the Rome Golden League meeting Friday with a year’s best time of 9.89 seconds.

Greene’s time was just one-tenth of a second outside his world record of 9.79 seconds, which he set in Athens in 1999.

His compatriot Tim Montgomery came in second with 9.94 and Bernard Williams completed an American podium sweep running a season personal best of 10.00 seconds.

Greene had been beaten twice in June by Britain’s Dwain Chambers but bounced back by winning in Paris earlier this month.

Chambers was not competing in the Rome meeting as he prepares for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Romanian Olympic and world champion Gabriela Szabo was upset in the womens’ 5000 metres, finishing third with a time of 14:55.48 after winning both the other Golden League races of the season.

Kenyan Edith Masai won with a time of 14.53.77, with Ethopia’s Berhane Adere coming in second.

American Gail Devers maintained her 100 percent Golden League record with a third successive victory in the 100 metres hurdles with a time of 12.51 seconds.

Jamaican Michael Blackwood won the mens’ 400 metres in 44.99 seconds. first loss for edwards

British Olympic champion triple jumper Jonathan Edwards suffered his first defeat.

World record holder Edwards, who had won in the two previous meetings in Oslo and Paris, finished second after being beaten by American Walter Davis who jumped 17.33 metres.

The best Edwards could manage was 17.25 with his fourth jump of the night.

Edwards set the world record of 18.29 in Gothenburg back in 1995.

The result means that Edwards is now ruled out of the fight for a share of the 50 kilograms of gold offered to those athletes who win in all seven of the Golden League meetings.

Results

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