Crawford leads clean sweep

AthleticsIt was the night originally reserved for the golden moment of their fallen sprint idol, and the Greeks refused to let it go without a fuss. So having come out in such numbers - this session had sold out months ago - they first roared for Hellas and their absent champion Kostas Kenteris, and then jeered as much as cheered at the start of the 200 metres.

Five minutes late, the gun was fired and as expected the Americans made the race their own, winning the sweep of medals. Shaun Crawford won gold in a best of 19.76 seconds, Bernard Williams won silver, Justin Gatlin, the 100 metres champion, the bronze. The Greeks whistled a little more and headed for the exits.

It all seemed a long way from the atmosphere they must have had inside the old Panathinaiko stadium in 1896. At one stage it seemed the race mightn't start at all such was the raucous attitude of the crowd, and it took a desperate plea from the respected Namibian Frankie Fredericks to calm the mood.

And in the end the 36-old Fredericks, second twice before, came up just short of another medal, closing fastest on the American trio and dipping fourth in 20.14. It was his fifth Olympic sprint final.

Earlier in the night the Greeks had at least bowed to a champion truly worthy of their admiration - the 400 metres hurdler Feliz Sanchez. His gold medal has been four years in the making and for the Dominican Republic will be cherished forever.

When Sanchez hit the finish line of the 400 metre hurdles they knew they'd witnessed something special. This was true Olympic continuity, the moment Sanchez had longed for since missing out on the final in Sydney four years ago.

So last night the 26-year-old ended a personal journey, and perhaps he will finally throw away that flashing wristband he's worn in every race since, a souvenir of his painful experience in Sydney. It was also his 43rd consecutive victory that started on July 4th, 2001.

"That was the most important race of my life," he said. "Now I want to take that gold medal to the Dominican Republic and party for three days."

It was relief more than joy that filled his expression at the finish. The big American hope, James Carter, had reached the next to last hurdle a foot in front, but after that Sanchez was a class apart, his technique still superbly natural and his leg speed astonishing. His time of 47.63 seconds was his best of the season. After first falling to his knees in prayer, he was soon covered with a Dominican flag - the nation's first Olympic gold medallist.

Carter paid a price for his brave effort and ended up fourth, run out of the medals by the Jamaican Danny McFarlane (48.11) and Naman Keita of France (48.26).

Already a two-time world champion, how long Sanchez can go on winning is starting to excite the old track statisticians. But the greatest 400 metres hurdler, Edwin Moses, won 122 consecutive races, and so far now the American can rest assured his streak won't be easily surpassed.

Despite the best efforts of the Greeks, most of the night did belong to the Americans. Before winning all three medals in the 200 metres they won two in the long jump, the gold going to Dwight Phillips and the silver to John Moffitt.

It was far from the most exciting of Olympic long jumps, however, as Phillips practically had it all decided with his first jump, a massive 8.59 metres. In fact he only managed one more mark, the 8.35 on his sixth and last jump, but the 26-year-old always looked assured of victory to add to his world title won in Paris last year.

Moffitt at least gave gold a fair whack with his second last jump, a personal best of 8.47, but that was still 12 centimetres down on his compatriot. The Spaniard Joan Lino Martinez took bronze with his second-round jump of 8.32, just edging out James Beckford of Jamaica. The defending champion Ivan Pedroso of Cuba was seventh with a jump of 8.23.

Phillips, whose best is 8.60, admitted he was searching for the world record jump 8.95, set by Mike Powell back in 1991: "Yeah, I felt great, I wanted to break the world record, but I tried too hard. And when you try too hard it never happens. But winning the Olympic title has been a lifetime dream of mine."

And the Greeks could only gaze in wonder at Marion Jones once more cruising down the track, still the most dazzling sight in women's sprinting. She ran the second leg of the 100 metres relay heat, which the Americans won with ease in 41.67 seconds. The next best from the heats were the Russians, who ran 42.12.

So Jones returns to the track this evening with the prospect of winning two gold medals. Her long jump final comes first (6.05 Irish time) with the relay final set for over two hours later (8.45). Her days as the queen of track and field and these Athens Olympics might not yet be numbered.

The three semi-finals of the men's 800 metres provided another reminder - as if necessary - of what will arguably be the most competitive track final of the Games. All the main contenders came through with various ease, but only one looks truly unbeatable, the Danish ex-Kenyan world record holder Wilson Kipketer. He won the third semi-final in 1:44.63.

Yet the Russian Yuriz Borzakovskiy looks to have the most in reserve, his qualifying time a cool 1:44.29. Expect fireworks to rival the opening ceremony in tomorrow's final.