Fast facts: track and field

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 25, 2000

Rain plagued the Sunday session, and controversy over old drug charges reigned. The highlights:

HIGH JUMP: Sergei Kliugin of Russia, the only competitor to clear 7 feet, 81/2 inches, won the men's event. Cuba's Javier Sotomayor, whose drug suspension for testing positive for cocaine was reduced in time for him to compete, settled for silver. "He shouldn't be here; it should have been my medal," said Stefan Holm, a Swede who finished fourth. HEPTATHLON: Denise Lewis of Britain won the women's event by 53 points, defying an Achilles' injury to run the final 800 meters in 2 minutes, 16.73 seconds for a total of 6,584 points. She received therapy for an hour between the javelin competition and the 800.

RAIN: Some competitors welcome the bad weather that might hamper favorites such as Michael Johnson in the 400. "If the weather is the same as this, the start will be slow and I know I'll be in the race," American Antonio Pettigrew said. "My finish is the strongest part of my race." The forecast for today was for showers and chilly weather, possibly putting a damper on the marquee event, the men's and women's 400 finals..

ALSO NOTABLE: Tereza Marinova of Bulgaria took the women's triple jump, and Szymon Ziolkowski of Poland won the hammer throw. ... In the men's 110 hurdles, defending champion Allen Johnson lost in the second round but still advanced to the semifinals, as did fellow Americans Mark Crear and Terrence Tammell. ... In the women's 400 hurdles, former Florida State runner Kim Batten advanced.

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