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Komen Shows his speed

Nick Davies reports from Monte Carlo

Tonight in Monaco, under the gaze of Prince Albert of Monaco and special guest Carl Lewis, Kenya’s 5000m World Champion Daniel Komen stunned a world class field in the 1500m. 21 year-old Komen, ran a tremendous last 500 metres to clock 3:29.47 - a new Kenyan record. Komen’s last lap of 55.3 seconds, buried Fermin Cacho, who had run a European record of 3:28.95 three nights ago in Zurich, Venuste Niyongabo, who had clocked 3:29.43 in the same race. Perhaps Komen was getting his own Zurich experience - he was beaten over 5000m by Haile Gebrselassie after doing most of the pacemaking - out of his system. Poor Noureddine Morceli - unbeatable just two seasons ago - the Algerian finished 10th.

On Wednesday night Wilson Kipketer had scorched through a first lap of around 48.3 seconds on his way to a 800m world record of 1:41.24. Tonight, the Dane sauntered through 400m in 51.9 seconds, before contemptuously destroying his rivals over the last 250 metres. With a final time of 1:42.77, Kipketer showed he can strike just as decisively in a slow paced race. His closest rival, Patrick Konchellah (KEN) finished almost two seconds behind with 1:44.27. "It has been a busy two weeks, first with the World Championshiops and then Zurich straight after," said Kipketer, "So I am not unhappy that the early pace was not fast. I was able to wind it up on the last lap without too many problems.’

Maurice Greene is having a tough week. Since Athens, when the "Kansas Cannonball" won 100m gold, he has been beaten twice. First, in Zurich by Frank Fredericks and now in Monaco by Athens bronze medallist Tim Montgomery and by Dennis Mitchell. Montgomery, who was pulled through by the fast starting Mitchell, set a stadium record of 9.99. Mitchell outdipped Greene - 10.05 to 10.06. "I ran a much better race than in Athens, because I felt more relaxed," said Montgomery. ""Today I’m very tired …" said Greene. Fredericks - who left Athens with a single silver medal tonight outsprinted the 200m world champion Ato Boldon to clock 19.93 and equal the stadium record set by Michael Johnson. "It feels good to do the things you can do in training. In Athens I was injured. I’m not 100% yet but I’m getting there." Tyree Washington, a bronze medallist at 400m in Athens, beat some class 200m specialists to finish third in 20.34.

Marion Jones confirmed her supreme talent by easily winning the women’s 200m - an event she didn’t contest in Athens - beating, among others, the reigning world champion and silver medallist. "Next year I’ll try and run 21.40," said the 21 year-old who was playing US college basketball five months ago. Sadly, in the same race, Gwen Torrence collapsed to the track with a severely torn muscle. Devers, who Jones inherited her 100m world title from, was carried off the track in considerable distress.

400m hurdler Stephane Diagana, France’s only World Champion, got the biggest cheer of the night from the crowd packing the Louis II Stadium. But up popped Bryan Bronson , the Athens silver medallist, to beat the popular Frenchman in the fastest time of the year - 47.64. Bronson started the race with his usual verve and Diagana was always a step behind. The most impressive finisher was Italy’s Fabrizio Mori who, trailing by 10 metres at the eighth hurdle, managed to almost catch Diagana at the line - 47.79 to 47.79. Mori’s reward was a new national record. Another Italian rewriting the record books was Roberta Brunet in the 3000m. She outkicked 10,000m World Champion Sally Barsosio in the final straight to finish in 8:35.67. The Kenyan’s 8:35.89 was a national and world junior record.

Maria Mutola beat Ana Quirot for the second time in four days in the 800m. As usual, Mutola set the pace, and after a 56.81 first lap, maintained her advantage around the second 400 metres to finish in 1:56.79. Quirot was a metre or so behind with 1:56.90.

Cuba’s Ivan Pedroso needed only two valid jumps to win the long jump. He opened with 8.33 then, after a foul and a pass, improved to 8.50. With his last jump Jamaica’s Beckford jumped 8.35 to overtake Eric Walder for second place.

Two world champions faltered in the field events. Sergey Bubka, so magnificent when winning his sixth world title in Athens, failed three times tonight at his opening height of 5.70 tonight. Russia’s Maksim Tarasov took the honours with 5.90. Olympic champion Jean Galfione made amends for a dreadful season to date by finishing second with 5.80. Norway’s Hanne Haugland could only finish third in the women’s high jump with 1.96, days after improving her personal best to In the women’s high jump 2.01. Victory went to Inga Babakova with 1.98. 22 year-old Amy Acuff also jumped 1.98 (a season’s best) but lost out on countback.