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Friday, 16 August, 2002, 20:44 GMT 21:44 UK
Montgomery masters rivals
Brahim Boulami after setting a new 3,000m steeplechase world record
Boulami celebrates his stunning race

American Tim Montgomery overshadowed the showdown between Dwain Chambers and Maurice Greene by winning the 100m at the Zurich Golden League meeting.

But the sprint stars were themselves put in the shade by Moroccan Brahim Boulami, who smashed his own world record in the 3,000m steeplechase.

Montgomery ran 9.98 seconds to cross the line just 0.02secs ahead of fellow American Coby Miller.

Chambers, the European champion, was third, with Commonwealth champion Kim Collins fourth, ahead of world record holder Greene.


I knew it was possible for me to run the world record race
Brahim Boulami

Chambers set a new personal best in the heats with 9.94 seconds, to beat the time he set in winning gold at the European Championships this month - by 0.02s.

But he never looked in the running to win the final - and Greene's race was worse than that.

The world and Olympic champion was slow away from the blocks and never recovered - and he limped away from the track at the end of the race.

Greene said: "They ran good and I ran bad. It's simple, they ran a better race.

"I haven't got jet lag, I'm not tired, I've got no excuses. They just ran better."

Montgomery said: "The pressure was high, running against Chambers and Maurice. The 1.3m/s headwind had an impact on the winning time but it doesn't matter. What's important was to win."

Chambers added: "The other guys came here fresh. I was feeling a little tireder from the Commonwealths and European Championships."

He added: "Now all I want to concentrate on is to run 10 seconds consistently."

Boulami's amazing new world record in the men's 3,000m steeplechase saw him run seven minutes 53.17 seconds to break his own previous mark by two seconds.

Gaby Szabo in action
Gaby Szabo returned to winnings ways

Boulami took control of the race from the start and led throughout, finishing strongly to comfortably beat the mark of 7:55.28 he set in Brussels last year.

"After a very good training period, I knew it was possible for me to run the world record race," Boulami said.

"For the moment, it's the end of Kenyan dominance but I'm sure they will try to come back and win the record again."

His fellow Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj came within a whisker of repeating Boulami's feat in the 1,500m.

El Guerrouj was less than a second outside his own world record.

Jonathan Edwards returned to winning ways in the triple jump after losing his European title to Christian Olsson.

The Swede set the standard with an opening jump of 17.18 metres before Edwards unleashed a competition leader of 17.40m in the next round and increased his margin two rounds later with a best of the night of 17.63m.

Olsson was pipped for the runners-up place by Cuba's Alexander Martinez.

American Marion Jones won the women's 100m in 10.88secs, the second fastest time in the world this year.

Jones is one of five still in contention for a share of the 50kg of gold awarded to athletes who win all seven Golden League meetings.

She headed fellow American Chryste Gaines, who managed a season's best of 10.95.

Gaby Szabo won the women's 1,500m in the quickest time in the world so far this year.

The Romanian sprinted past American Suzy Favor-Hamilton in the last metres of the race.

Felix Sanchez kept alive his bid for a share of the Golden prize, winning the men's 400m hurdles in a season's world best time of 47.35.

 WATCH/LISTEN
 ON THIS STORY
BBC Five Live's John Rawling
"This was a magnificent meeting"
USA's Tim Montgomery
"The pressure was off me"
Morocco's Brahim Boulami
"I came here to do a special time"
Britain's Dwain Chambers
"I expected to run faster"
USA's Maurice Green
"This year's been a lazy year for me"
Golden League

Steve Cram

Berlin

Zurich

Monaco

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Paris

Oslo

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