Gatlin, Block clinch indoor sprints

BIRMINGHAM: Justin Gatlin marked his first meet outside of the United States with a world title yesterday, while Zhanna Block added the World Indoor Championship title to her outdoor crown.

Gatlin, the 21-year-old US champion, clocked 6.46 seconds to take gold ahead of Commonwealth Games 100 metre champion Kim Collins of St Kitts, with two British sprinters, Jason Gardener and Mark Lewis-Francis third and fourth. Collins, who also upstaged the British stars at the Commonweath Games at Manchester last year, was fastest out of the blocks and was ahead in the early strides, but Gatlin quickly made it up and finished well clear. “Thank God I got out good,” Gatlin said. “Lane two (Collins) got out good too. I feel like a rookie. The start was the key to the race. Maybe next year I will get the world record. “I am happy about my performance. It came as no surprise to me and I cannot ask for anything more than gold.”

Collins placed second in 6.53, with Gardener edging countryman Lewis-Francis for the bronze in 6.55. The Commonwealth champion said he was so dispirited with his second lane draw he thought about pulling out. “I sort of lost faith after the semis and even gave my bib number away,” he said. “I was very tired but my heart just pulled me through.” The women’s race was won by world 100 metre champion Zhanna Block who ran a season’s best 7.04 seconds to win by an amazing 0.12. Merlene Ottey, running for her adopted country Slovenia at age 42, was out of the medals in fourth place behind Americans Angela Williams and Torri Edwards.

Block added the indoor world title to her outdoor one with the fastest time by anyone for two years. “I cannot describe just what I am feeling,” the Ukrainian said. “I have never won the World Indoor Championships before. “The time does not surprise me after my performances today. I was expecting to finish around 7.03-7.05. I am not an indoor specialist. This result opens up the prospect of a good summer season,” she said, looking ahead to the outdoor Worlds in Paris in August. Williams placed second in 7.17 for her second indoor silver medal, with countrywoman Edwards taking bronze in 7.17. Ottey, chasing her fourth indoor title, was timed at 7.20.

 “The last World Indoors I took second (in the 60 metres) so I really wanted to improve this time,” Williams said. “I didn’t even PB. Zhanna went out fast and she’s a great runner but there’s a long way to go this season and I’m looking forward to the summer.” Terrence Trammell’s bid to become the first athlete to win both the 60-metre sprint and 60-metre hurdles was shattered when he pulled up with a hamstring injury and finished fifth in the heats of the dash. The American, second fastest in the world this year in both events, limped off the track at the National Indoor Arena holding the back of his right thigh.As well as the two sprints, yesterday’s finals were the men’s shot put and the women’s pentathlon.

Haile Gebrselassie, who has broken four world marks at the Birmingham arena, including the 2-mile (3.2 kilometre) record a month ago, ran clear of the field to win his 3,000 heat in seven  minutes, 51.43 seconds. Although the Ethiopian briefly appeared boxed in with four laps to go, he put in a burst of speed to get free and then charged past Jesus Espana of Spain off the final bend.