Ato finishes last in Lusanne sprint

LAUSANNE: Trinidad and Tobago’s Ato Boldon finished a disappojnting eighth and last in the 100 metres event at the Athletissima Meeting in Lusanne, Switzerland yesterday. But he improved in the 200 metres finishing seventh. Boldon , a former world 200 metres champion was attempting a double at the Grand prix meeting. Deji Aliu of Nigeria stole the thunder from US World and Olympic champion Maurice Greene with victory in the men’s 100 metres as a string of athletes set world bests at yesterday’s meeting. The 27-year-old Aliu, who already had two major victories under his belt this season, completed the race on the wet Pontaise track in 10.04 seconds, ahead of Bernard Williams of the United States who had a time of 10.10, Greene was third in 10.11 seconds.  Boldon was eighth in 10.30 seconds.

“I feel in really good form. I was disappointed that the weather conditions made me stay above 10 seconds,” Aliu said after his victory.  Americans made a clean sweep of the 200 metres event with Coby Miller first in 20.04 seconds followed by Darvis Patton (20.14) Ramon Clay. Ato Boldon was seventh in 20.77 ahead of Anthuan Maybank of the United States (21.05). In the women’s 400 metres, Lorraine Fenton of Jamaica set the third fastest time of the year, completing the race in 49.71. Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas took the women’s 100 metres in 11.12 seconds, ahead of France’s Christine Arron, who is returning to form this season.  US veteran Gail Devers produced her best time of the season to win the 100-metre hurdles in a time of 12.57 seconds.