from: www.iaaf.org

Day two roundup

Phil Minshull for the IAAF

Malcolm confirms favourite status but Jones turns the tables

The blue riband 100 metres finals saw one man confirm his status as the

favourite and one woman upset the odds.

British sprinter Christian Malcolm justified his status as favourite to

win the men's 100 title by storming to a championship best of 10.12 seconds. After three

silver medals in the first six editions of the championship, Malcolm became the

first Britain to the gold medal at the world junior championships. Into the

bargain he posted the fastest time by a teenager in the world this year. "I ran the

best race of my life and it feels so good to fulfil all the expectations that people

have placed in me," commented Malcolm.

Malcolm is regularly asked whether he could become the next Linford

Christie but he rejects such comparisons. "Linford had such a great career and achieved so

much. I'm a long way from getting close to what he has done, I'm just

starting out,"

The United States took the first two places in the women's 100 metres as

expected but it was Shakedia Jones rather than her more-fancied compatriot Angela

Williams who took the title.

The usual bullet start of Williams eluded her while Jones flew out of her

blocks. "The best start of my life," as she said later. Jones stopped the clock at

11.19 seconds while Williams had to settle for second in 11.27.

All the attention on Williams deflected the pressure from Jones. "I never

really thought about it. After all there is always pressure but I didn't feel it.

I just said to myself, 'I have got to make this happen.'"

Jones had an element of extra motivation though. "They put Angela on the

front of Track and Field News (the American magazine dubbed the bible of the sport)

and all those things that come out of the IAAF - I definitely think I should

now get featured." Shakedia - you have just had one of your wishes granted.

Like Malcolm she has a day of rest to let her triumph sink in. On Friday

the pair start their quest for double sprint success with the heats of the 200m.

However, Jones' biggest ambition is helping the American 4x100 squad not

only to the gold medal but to improve on the near-decade old mark of 43.48 seconds

set by the former East Germany at the second world junior championships in Sudbury.

Unlike some US relay teams of the past, this quartet will go into action well

polished. "We've had relay camp, we've got experience and we are sharp,"

Jones commented. "We can get that world record."

The first gold medal of the championships went to Germany's Bianca

Achilles in the women's hammer with a throw of 61.79 metres.

Germany also won the women's pole vault thanks to Monika G�tz, who cleared

4.20 metres before failing in her attempt to improve the world junior

record to 4.32 metres.

Both the women's hammer and pole vault were being contested in the

championships for the first time and so Achilles and G�tz will go into the

record books as holder of the inaugural championships bests.

The fifth gold medal of the day went to Cuba's Osleidis Mendenez who won the

women's javelin with an astonishing 68.17 metres, the second best throw in

the world this year regardless of age.

Kebba Tolbert

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Editor of Sprinting & Hurdling

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