Guerrouj back in form, but could miss Olympics
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-07-08 06:36

World 800 metre champion Maria Mutola's 36-race unbeaten run was ended by Russian Svetlana Cherkasova at the Lausanne Super Grand Prix on Tuesday.

But Morocco's four-time world champion Hicham El Guerrouj returned to winning ways in the 1,500 metres after suffering his first defeat since the 2000 Olympics in Rome last week.

The 29-year-old, who is contemplating missing next month's Athens Games because of a breathing problem, held off a late challenge from Kenya's Isaac Songok to win in his season's best time of 3 minutes, 32.20 seconds.

"I've found my smile again. It was important to win. I know what my problems are and my lack of rythm," said the Morocaan, who plans to run in London or Stockholm before Zurich on August 6.

"I was surprsied to see the Kenyan coming back. It would have been a disaster if I'd lost," said El Guerrouj. "This win will give me confidence and I'm going to target the 3 minute, 30 second mark in Zurich."

Since 1995, El Guerrouj had only previously lost twice over 1500m - in the Olympic finals of 1996 and 2000.

Mutola, last year's Golden League champion, had not lost an 800 metres race since being beaten into second by Zulia Calatayud in Monaco in 2002.

She led going into the final 100 metres but was then overhauled by Cherkasova in the sprint to the line, finishing second in 1:59.06, 0.15 seconds behind the delighted Russian.

American Allen Johnson set the fastest time of the year in the 110 metres hurdles as he recorded 13.05 for a comfortable win over Latvian Stanislavs Olijars.

The four-time world champion now returns to the United States for Olympics trials.

"It is a very fast track and the time is very good for me just 10 days before the (U.S.) trials," Johnson said. "This gives me the perfect preparation to qualify for the Olympics."

Felix Sanchez, of the Dominican Republic, also set the quickest time of the year in the 400 metres hurdles as he recorded his 37th successive victory in a time of 47.86.

World champion Sanchez held off the strong finishing South African Herbert Llewellyn, who was second in 48.03.

Jamaican Asafa Powell took the honours in the men's 100 metres in a time of 10.00.

Double world champion Hestrie Cloete lost out to Russian Yelena Slesarenko in the women's high jump. The South African only managed 1.95 metres for equal third with Ukraine's Viktoriya Styopina.

The competition took place in a strong breeze but world leader Slesarenko cleared 2.03 metres, with Blanka Vlasic of Croatia second with 1.98.

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