This was just like the practice runs on the UCLA track, where Ato Boldon of Trinidad & Tobago and Maurice Greene of the U.S. go at each other day after day, neither wanting to give the other a chance to talk trash.
That is why Boldon was not content to qualify easily for Sunday’s semifinals of the 100 meters at the World Track & Field Championships. Instead, he ran down Greene in the final 10 meters of their quarterfinal heat Saturday night, and the result was not only bragging rights but a stunning time of 9.87 seconds.
Boldon’s time was the fastest in a preliminary round of any competition, equaled the fifth fastest ever and broke his own national record. Greene matched his personal best of 9.90 as the sixth world championships opened with the promise of a 100 world record in either the semis or the final Sunday.
“The world record is gone,” Greene said.
The man who holds it at 9.84, reigning world and Olympic champion Donovan Bailey of Canada, wobbled through his first two heats in his customarily unimpressive early-round form.
“Donovan has learned what a lot of champions do–that you don’t have to do it in the first two rounds,” said Jon Drummond of the U.S., who will run the 200 meters and the 4 x 100 relay later in the meet.
After the quarterfinals, in which he finished second to Tim Montgomery of the U.S. (9.99) in 10.10, Bailey limped into the dressing area, disgustedly tipped over the basket with his warmup clothes and sat on the ground with his head in his hands. His coach, Dan Pfaff, said Bailey was suffering from leg cramps.
“I think it’s a mental thing,” said Canadian sprinter Robert Esmie, who failed to make the semis. “Donovan is a dangerous man. Show him the money before the race, and it’s over.”
If Bailey runs hard only when it counts, Boldon and Greene ran their quarterfinal race as if there were no tomorrow. Some might question why they expended so much energy in an early round.
“We’re very competitive with each other,” Greene said.
“He doesn’t want to lose, and I don’t want to lose,” Boldon said.
Drummond sees that on a daily basis, because he is among the quick-witted and hot-footed sprinters who train under John Smith at UCLA.
“What you saw today is what Ato and Maurice do in practice,” Drummond said. “When you are trained to run fast, you are going to run fast.
“I think there is going to be some trash-talking in the hotel (Saturday night). The more trash we can talk, it produces a better attitude and a better work ethic.”
Boldon credited his time as much to the fast track as to his effort. That is one reason why he believes the final could produce a performance more remarkable than just a world record.
“I don’t want to insult the world record by saying it’s a little soft, but if you look at the 200 and 400 (records), it should go a lot lower,” Boldon said. “This track is worth 7/100ths of a second. On a normal track, what I did was a 9.95, which is basically what I have been running all year.”
That opinion was not universally shared. U.S. women’s sprint sensation Marion Jones thought the track was “no faster than any other” after gliding to a 10.96 victory in her quarterfinal heat. Earlier, Zhanna Pintussevich of Ukraine clocked 10.90 to lead the qualifiers and break her own national record by .09.
“Marion makes it look so easy,” said Jamaica’s Merlene Ottey, 37, looking for her fifth straight world meet medal in the 100. Ottey cruised an 11.0 in the quarters.
The 100-meter heats were the highlight of an opening day that attracted a disappointing crowd overestimated at 15,000 to the 80,000-seat stadium. There were just two finals, in the shot put and the 20-kilometer walk.
The shot turned out to be disappointing for defending champion John Godina and his fellow U.S. throwers.
Godina, who earned wild-card entry to the event as defending champion, was second by one inch to Aleksandr Bagach of Ukraine (70 feet 5 1/4 inches). That inch was worth $30,000, the difference between first ($60,000) and second ($30,000) in the first outdoor worlds at which prize money is being awarded to medalists.
C.J. Hunter of the U.S. was fourth at 66-8 1/2, while teammate Randy Barnes, the Olympic champion, failed to make the final.
“Last season and this season were my worst in 10 years,” Godina said, “but I still pulled silver medals (at the worlds and Olympics). I need to grow from this and learn, and it will come together.”
Godina also trains at UCLA, where his work in the weight room leaves Drummond awestruck. Among shot putters, though, Godina calls himself a weakling. “I’m nothing compared to them,” Godina said, talking trash to himself.
