Medal hopefuls flop at Crystal Palace
Kelly Holmes, Chris Rawlinson, triple jumper Phillips Idowu and Jade Johnson, in the long jump, were all winners. The quartet scored brilliant victories as Britain’s three Olympic 100m selections, Mark Lewis-Francis, Darren Campbell and Jason Gardener all failed to make their final, where Jamaica’s Asafa Powell blew everyone away with a season’s-best run of 9.91 seconds - a British all-comers’ record.
However, their shortcomings were soon forgotten by the home fans as Olympic medal hope Holmes hit the front in the back straight before kicking for home over 1,500m, winning in a time of 4 min 04.06 sec.
It was also a fine night’s work for Rawlinson, who held off the challenge of top American James Carter to take the 400m hurdles. Meanwhile Idowu made a season-best’s of 17.47m with his final leap in the triple jump.
2002 European silver medalist Johnson led from start to finish, with 6.65m enough for victory to maintain hopes she can improve on her fourth at last year’s World Championships.
There was no fairy tale ending for Steve Backley, though. Britain’s great javelin thrower bowed out with a second-place finish on home soil - his season’s-best 83.42m not enough to beat Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway, who threw 84.45m.
Lewis-Francis, the world junior champion in 2000, simply put his disappointment down to one of those days after finishing last in his heat.
“I ran terribly,” he reflected. “It was an off-day. My training has been going fine, so I don’t really know why I ran like that.”
Gardener was, on the other hand, determined to take something positive from his 10.32 secs run in his qualifier. He said: “I’m not that displeased with the race. I’m not quite where I need to be yet. ”
Powell will also be happy with the way things are progressing as he bids to take Maurice Greene’s Olympic crown next month.
After coming home 0.06secs ahead of the American, with Leonard Scott of the United States (10.04) third and world champion Kim Collins fifth in 10.14, he declared: “That gave me a lot of confidence.
“Maurice was Olympic champion last time, but I hope to beat him this year as I have beaten him today.”
Greene reflected: “I am not surprised he won tonight, my start was not the best. But my confidence will not suffer.”
There was also a warm reception for Backley, the two-time Olympic silver medalist and former world record holder who will retire after Athens.
“I would have liked to have thrown better for the crowd,” said the 35-year-old. “I think this will be my last competition before Athens, and I feel pretty good going into the Games.”
The biggest cheer of the night, though, was the one which welcomed Holmes’ victory. The Olympic 800m bronze medallist four years ago has yet to decide over which distances she will run in Athens.
“This has given me a lot of confidence,” said the former army sergeant. “Everyone is telling me I should double up because I’ve been running so well lately. To double up, though, you have to feel right inside and I still haven’t quite got that feeling yet.”
Elsewhere, Chris Lambert (20.50) edged out Christian Malcolm (20.51) in the 200m, while Glasgow’s Lee McConnell took the women’s 400m in 51.33 ahead of Donna Fraser (51.48).
Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia broke the women’s pole vault record and was presented with a cheque for $50,000 US dollars (€41,610) after raising the mark to 4.90m.
Haile Gebrselassie gave the Crystal Palace crowd the perfect ending when the two-time Olympic 10,000m champion won the 5,000m, breaking his own all-comers’ record in 12:55.51, on what was his farewell meeting at a British track.
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