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Sherbrooke, Canada.......Iryna Kovalenko of Ukraine was the surprise in
the women's high jump. She came into the meet with a personal best of 1.84
metres in the high jump, but took the gold with a meet-record 1.92 metres.
Jason Richardson celebrated his first gold medal at the IAAF world youth
championships with an icebag and a hamburger from Burger King, according
to a news story in the Montreal Gazette, Montreal, Canada on Sunday, July
13, 2003 about the 3rd IAAF World Youth Championships held at
Sherbrooke, Canada.
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He had more elaborate plans to celebrate his second gold.
"I can go out and have some fun tonight because I don't have anything to do
(today)," the 17-year-old from Dallas [Texas] said after he won the men's
400-metre hurdles in 49.91 seconds.
It was his second gold medal in as many days. He won the 110- metre hurdles
Friday, and in both races he had season-best times.
"I was hoping for two meet records and I got one, but the most important
thing is that I won both golds," said the high-school honour student whose
future plans include a trip to the Olympics and a law degree.
"This one was easier than the first," said Richardson, who added that he
noticed runnerup Wouter LeRoux of South Africa on his outside on the
backstretch. "Seeing him out there pushed me a bit, but as we came around
the second turn, I wasn't aware of him. I was focused on my lane.''
With two hurdles to go, LeRoux had the lead but Richardson was the first
over the final hurdle and was five metres ahead at the finish.
"It may not look like it but I have a pretty good kick," said Richardson,
who also used it to good advantage in the 110-metre final.
American Jamaal Charles took the bronze and joined Richardson for a victory
lap with American flags draped over their shoulders.
"It's difficult to compare it with other victory laps because this is my
first international competition," Richardson said. The betting is that it
won't be his last.
A more ambitious bid for a double failed when Australian Sally McLellan
finished fifth in the 200 metres, 40 minutes after winning the gold in the
women's 100-metre hurdles. Anneisha McLaughlin of Jamaica won the 200 in
23.26 seconds.
The best Canadians performances were turned in by Montrealers David
Pedneault and Pierre-Hanz Horacius, who finished fourth and fifth in the
men's 100 metres in identical times of 10.87 seconds.
"It wasn't my best race but it was a good experience," Pedneault said.
"We've had a tradition of good sprinters in Canada with Donovan (Bailey)
and Bruny (Surin) and we hope to be part of the next generation."
Horacius said: "My goal was to reach the final and I'm happy."
Yahya Al-Gahes and Yayha Hassan Habib gave Saudi Arabia a 1-2 finish in the
100 metres although, like most of the Saudis enjoying success here, their
heritage is more African than Bedouin.
African runners took the first six places in the men's 3,000 metres, with
Kenyan Augustine Kiprono Choge running away from Ethiopians Tariku Bekele
and Shimelis Girma for the gold in 7:52.53.
Mike Woods of Ottawa (8:16.37) and Braden Novakowski of Kingston (8:19.37)
registered personal bests but were ninth and 11th, respectively.
Nagmeldin Ali Abubakr of Sudan set a meet record when he powered past
American Cedric Goodman on the final stretch of the men's 400 metres in
46.10 seconds. Goodman also broke the previous record with a 46.42 clocking.
Alem Techale of Ethiopia came from behind in the final 20 metres to pass
Jelena Stina of Latvia at the wire of the women's 1,500 metres. Techale was
timed in a personal-best 4:17.41, 2/100ths ahead of Stina.
Alyson Kohlmeier, a 15-year-old from Sarnia, stayed in the lead pack for
1,200 metres before dropping back to finish seventh in 4:22.
Mohammed Al-Salhi of Saudi Arabia sprinted into the lead on the final turn
to win the men's 800 metres in 1:48.79. He was followed by Kenyans Bernard
Kiptanui and Abraham Kipngetich Ngeno and Britain's Michael Rimmer as the
first four runners came in under the meet record.
Srsa Valentina of Croatia won the women's hammer throw with a toss of 61.18
metres, Marie-Eve Boiselle of Verchères had a personal best of 54.03 to
finish eighth.
The news story about Iryna Kovalenko of Ukraine winning the women's high
jump and jumping her personal best at the IAAF World Youth Championships
was monitored for the UKRAINE REPORT 2003 by the www.ArtUkraine.com
Information Service (ARTUIS) in Kyiv, Ukraine and Washington, D.C.
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