Ice-cool Christie conquers his rivals

Athletics

And then there was one. Linford Christie, Britain's sole defending world champion next month after yesterday's withdrawal by Colin Jackson, renewed his pursuit of the 100 metres title with a comfortingly emphatic victory at the Bislett grand prix here last night.

In what will almost certainly be his last 100 metres before he toes the line in Gothenburg, he recorded 10.12sec to finish well clear of a field which included Dennis Mitchell, one of the three American choices for Sweden, and Bruny Surin of Canada, who ran 9.97sec last weekend.

Christie, who had earlier won his heat in 10.08sec, needed massage between the rounds on the hamstring injury for which he has been receiving treatment all week in Munich.

He described the decision by his friend and colleague Jackson to withdraw from Gothenburg as "very sad", but he steered deliberately away from commenting further on it.

With Britain's other champion of 1993, Sally Gunnell, unable to defend her 400m hurdles title because of injury, Christie is in danger of feeling lonely when competition gets underway two weeks from today. "Colin told me to go out and win in Gothenburg for both of us," he said.

Christie, who races over 150 metres at the Bupa International in Sheffield tomorrow, said that there was an outside chance he might compete in Sestriere on 29 July. He confirmed that he intends to do both the 100 and 200 metres in the world championships - "I might surprise people in the 200," he said.

Christie's task was unexpectedly simplified earlier in the evening when Canada's Donovan Bailey, who set the season's fastest time of 9.91sec in winning the Canadian national championships the previous week, failed to qualify from the heats, finishing third in 10.24sec.

"Better this time than in Gothenburg," said Bailey, whose claim that he would not be intimidated by Christie was not put to the test. He has another opportunity in Sheffield tomorrow.

Steve Smith, who jumped 2.35m at last weekend's trials, could not reach those heights again, but he cleared 2.31, losing only on the countback to the world champion, Javier Sotomayor. The Cuban, however, finished on a low after appearing to injure his ankle on a first attempt at 2.36m. As soon as he had landed, awkwardly, he gestured with both hands to indicate that there would be no more from him on the night.

Mark Richardson, Britain's European Cup champion, put himself to the ultimate test over 400 metres as he faced the world champion, Michael Johnson, and the world record holder, Butch Reynolds.

Both Americans had passed him by the time they reached the home straight, with Johnson leading Reynolds home in 43.86sec, but the 21-year-old from Windsor maintained his form to take third place in 45.06sec.

Richardson finished in pain because of problems with tendons behind his knees. He had contemplated dropping out, but decided he couldn't give up a chance to run in such company.

"I've seen this meeting so many times on television," he said. "To be asked to compete in it is a dream. I went out too fast, and by 250 metres I was wondering where everyone was." He grinned, despite the pain. "And then suddenly they came past me."

Moses Kiptanui of Kenya came close to breaking his own world 3,000 metres steeplechase record of 8min 02.08sec, finishing in 8:03.36 - the second fastest time ever recorded.

The javelin saw the second longest throw ever recorded as Germany's Raymond Hecht won with 92.60m, which only the man in second place, the Olympic and world champion Jan Zelezny, has bettered. Steve Backley, charged with proving his fitness to claim a world championship place, did so with third place in 86.46, with Mick Hill fourth on 84.14.

In the women's 3,000 metres, Sonia O'Sullivan of Ireland won in 8min 34.33sec, the fastest time in the world this season by more than seven seconds.

In Jackson's absence, Britain's leading high hurdler Tony Jarrett recorded a victory in 13.31sec ahead of Courtney Hawkins, America's world indoor champion, who was timed at 13.39sec.

In the continuing absence of Gunnell, Marie-Jose Perec, France's world and Olympic 400 metres champion, maintained her progress at 400m hurdles with victory in 53.92sec over two of her leading American rivals, Deon Hemmings and Kim Batten. Good for Perec - but if Gunnell was watching, the frustration must have been intense.