Greene lightning strikes thrice

Once again the rest of the world was left chasing Maurice Green, still an unstoppable bullet of light over 100 metres, and killing off championship finals like few sprinters have ever done.

Yesterday, in Edmonton, the latest edition of the race to decide the fastest on earth has unfolded just a matter of seconds after the gun. Greene was gone, a meter up out of sight, breaking the finish line for the result everyone expected: world champion Mo the Man.

Not even his well-documented knee injury could slow him down. In his wake came fellow American Tim Montgomery and Bernard Williams, creating only the second ever world championship clean sweep in the event. There was momentary grimace of pain from his troublesome left knee, and Montgomery didn't make it easy, but Greene never looked like being headed.

The time of 9.82 may have also left him short of his 9.79 best, and his 9.80 championship record, but three false starts by his rivals and a slightly negative headwind didn't help. For consolation, it was the fastest run in the world this year and the third fastest in history - all three of which were recorded by Greene himself.

Yet, by winning a third straight title here, only the great Carl Lewis- winner of the firdt three championships- now rivals Greene.

He also maintains his enviable position as world champions, Olympic champion and world record holder- at the same time.

"Well, I'd like to thank everyone here today for giving me the energy to run," he said, after completing a slower than usual victory lap. "A lot was said about other runners here but I only think about myself, and I only think about winning."

Trinidad's Ato Boldon and Britain's best, Dwain Champberlain, filled the two places outside the medals but Boldon's chances weren't helped with one of the false starts.

Nothing less than a similar display of dominance is now expected from Marion Jones in tonight's women's final. In her opening heat, the title-holder and triple Olympic champion ran 10.93 - the fastest ever women's 100 metres on Canadian soil.

The question of who will take the men's 400 metre crown from the retired Michael Johnson is a little less certain. Fellow American Antonio Pettigrew, the champion back in 1991 before Johnson won four in succession, is back in tonight's final seeking another gold, but a complete unknown, Germany's Ingo Schultz, was the fastest qualifier in 44.66 seconds. And for the first time ever, eight different nations will contest the final.

The only let down in yesterday's programme was to see Heike Dreschler of Germany- winner in the long jump back in 1983- crash out of the qualifying round with injury. At 36,Dreschler found out what champions eventually find out: time eventually catches up even with champions.