Report 1 - Day 2

March 8 - 13:00

Nick Davies reports from Paris

As predicted, the standard was excellent in the men’s shot put final, which ended late last night. For the first time in the history of the World Indoor Championships the first eight competitors bettered 20.0m. Although 1995 World Champion John Godina spun the steel ball out to 20.87, he had to give way to two giants from the Ukraine: Aleksandr Bagach, who won bronze in Atlanta and his countryman Yuriy Bilonoh, who hit peak form when it mattered. Bilonoh, who has impressive speed, is also extremely tall, and this allows him to accelerate the shot quickly through a long plane. Technically a "traditionalist" as opposed to US style spinners like Godina , Boghlio took the lead from Godina in the second round with 21.02, a personal best. Bagach secured silver with his fifth round effort of 20.94. Italy’s Dal Soglio, who led the 1997 world list before the competition, injured his knee during qualification and had three foul throws.

In action this morning, Colin Jackson and Anier Garcia looked like the class acts of the 60m hurdles. Similar in appearance, with right leg leads and butter-smooth technique, they clocked 7.52 and 7.61 to win their heats. Jackson was responsible for one false start and when there was a second, he admitted to feeling a sense of deja-vu. "I was a little bit nervous that they might penalise me and I would be out. Like Linford in Atlanta."

In the first semi- final of the women’s 800m Mutola was a comfortable qualifier. Choosing to stay out of trouble by leading, she clocked 60.97 for the first lap, then accelerated away from Joetta Clark at the bell to clock 2:02.59.

Letitia Vriesde took the pace in the second semi leading through 400m in 58.79 from Zurcher and Hodgkinson. From the bell it was Hodgkinson who sprinted clear. Vriesde was content to let the New Zealander set another Oceania indoor record of 2:00.90. A triumph for women’s athletics in a country that once bred great middle distance men like Jack Lovelock, Peter Snell and John Walker, Hodgkinson should not only break the 2:00 minute barrier but challenge Mutola and Vriesde for gold.

With only two automatic qualifiers, 1993 World 400m hurdles champion Sally Gunnell had to work hard to ensure Britain made it to the final of the 4x400m. She finished just three hundredths clear of her French rival to help her team record 3:35.36. But the German team finished well ahead in 3:31.56. The second semi-final was faster, and more closely contested with the Russians setting a new national record of 3:29.85 with Ukraine and the Czech Republic clocking 3:31.11 and 3:31.23 respectively. There was an upset in the second men’s 4x400m semi-final when Great Britain, one of the pre-event favourites failed to qualify. On the final change-over the Britons were looking set to challenge the French for one of the automatic qualifying places behind a rampant Jamaican team (who ran a world leading 3:06.87) when Adrian Patrick dropped the baton. He had actually received it in his left hand but tried to switch to his right. After losing more than a second fumbling to recover his stick, Patrick tried unsuccessfully to catch up. He finished, a forlorn figure, in last place. Jamaica are now installed as favourites.

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Reports from the championships.