TNT Sports
Collins scrapes through
By
Published 06/08/2005 at 17:42 GMT+1
Defending world champion Kim Collins scraped into the 100 metres semi-finals as the fastest loser in Helsinki on Saturday, well down on American Leonard Scott, who clocked 10.19 seconds. Olympic champion Justin Gatlin eased down in the final metres of his
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Collins, who won gold in Paris two years ago, ran a poor first-half of the race and finished fourth in the second heat.
"I was cramping and I just wanted to finish the race," 29-year-old Collins said.
Meanwhile, Gatlin was in confident mood. The American insisted: "I was a little bombed, it was a strong headwind, I haven't run that slow in a long time.
"Tomorrow I'm going to come out blazing. Rain, sleet snow it doesn't matter, I'm going to win the gold medal."
The 23-year-old is favourite for the title in Sunday's final after world record holder Asafa Powell pulled out with a groin injury.
Trinidadian Darrel Brown, world silver medallist in 2003, was the fastest athlete of the round, winning the fourth and final heat in 10.10.
Ronald Pognon, the first Frenchman under 10 seconds when he clocked 9.99 last month, was runner-up to Brown in 10.11.
America's hopes of a medal sweep were kept alive when Olympic 200 metres champion Shawn Crawford finished behind Portugal's, silver medallist in Athens, Francis Obikwelu.
PEREZ RETAINS 20KM WALK TITLE
Ecuador's Jefferson Perez won the first gold medal of the World Championships in Helsinki when he retained his title in the men's 20 km walk in a time of one hour 18 minutes 35 seconds.
The pre-race favourite Francisco Javier Fernandez of Spain led for most of the race before finishing second behind Perez, a repeat of the Paris championships two years ago.
Spain's Juan Manuel Molina took the bronze. Former world champion Ilya Markov of Russia was disqualified from the race after receiving three warnings.
SLESARENKO OUT OF HIGH JUMP
Olympic high jump champion Yelena Slesarenko injured her left foot in qualifying and will take no further part in the World Championships. The 23-year-old has cleared two metres this season, second only to Sweden's world leader Kajsa Bergqvist.
"I've had problems with my ankle and I hurt it in the Athletes Village," Slesarenko said. "I received medicine for it but I cannot run with it."
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