BBC SPORT | Athletics | Greene back in the old routine

Maurice Greene continued his revival with a narrow victory in the 100m at the Golden League meeting in Monaco on Friday night.

The world record holder and Olympic champion went through a poor spell last month when he twice lost to Dwain Chambers, but since then he has been unbeaten.

Photo Gallery: See pictures from Monaco

Greene held off American compatriot Bernard Williams by two-hundredths of a second in 9.97, with Kim Collins, who stumbled at the start, taking third.

Marion Jones continued her march to the gold bars on offer for winning all seven meetings with victory in the women's 100m.

Paula knew she was in excellent shape despite her stomach illness last month

Radcliffe's husband
Gary Lough

The triple Olympic champion won in 10.84 seconds to equal the fastest time in the world this year, with Jamaica's Tanya Lawrence in second and American Chryste Gaines in third.

British triple jumper Jonathan Edwards cannot now win a share of the gold after being beaten in Rome last week, and he slipped to another defeat.

The Olympic champion was beaten by Sweden's rising star Christian Olsson by just four centimetres.

Paula Radcliffe, running her first race since her spectacular London marathon triumph, also came second as she was edged out by Gabriela Szabo in the 3,000m.

Marion Jones celebrates her Monaco victory
Jones equalled the fastest time in the world

The Romanian broke the European record in 8:21.42 while Radcliffe was only inches behind and broke her own Commonwealth mark for the distance.

"She's absolutely delighted with her run," said manager and husband Gary Lough.

"Paula knew she was in excellent shape despite her stomach illness last month.

"It is just the result she needed before the Commonwealth Games begin. She'll go to Manchester super confident."

Another Briton to turn in a good performance was Helen Pattinson, who ran the best 1,500m of her career as she came third behind American Regina Jacobs and Belarussian Alesya Turova.

Kipketer revival

Pattinson knocked over three seconds off her previous best, set two years ago, with a time of 4:01.10.

World 800m record holder Wilson Kipketer continued his return to top form by winning in a world-leading time for the year of 1:43.76, with the USA's David Krummenacker clocking a lifetime best in second.

The eagerly-awaited women's pole vault contest between world indoor and outdoor record holders Svetlana Feofanova and American Stacy Dragila went the way of the Russian.

Feofanova claimed the spoils with a 4.69m clearance while Germany's Yvonne Buschbaum beat Dragila, who could only manage a disappointing 4.39m, into third.

Hicham El Guerrouj, Gail Devers, Felix Sanchez and Ana Guevara all won their events to keep in the chase for a share of the gold bars.

In the 400m hurdles, won by Sanchez, Britain's Chris Rawlinson trailed in a disastrous eighth in a time of 53.70sec.


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