COLIN Jackson yesterday took two big steps towards emulating his
Olympic village room-mate Linford Christie by bringing home gold -- and
then revealed he had been given a massive vote of confidence from his
great pal.
''Linford told me he's got more confidence in me than he has in
himself,'' said Jackson, who swept into the semi-finals of the sprint
hurdles with one dazzling and one inept performance.
''He's done the job -- now it's down to me.'' After an early morning
pep talk at breakfast from Christie, who was still on cloud nine after
his 100 metres triumph, the Welshman went out yesterday morning and ran
like a dream in his opening heat.
He clocked 13.10sec, the third fastest time in the world this year, to
stamp his credentials as overwhelming favourite for the high-hurdles
crown.
But though he last night negotiated his second-round heat to
comfortably book his place in the last 16, Jackson ran one of his
poorest races of the summer.
Away like a rocket, the
25-year-old hit the second hurdle hard, the fourth even harder,
clipped the fifth, and lost his rhythm as American world silver
medallist Jack Pierce powered past him to win by some three metres in
13.17.
Jackson was second in 13.57 -- and a measure of the poor quality of
his run was that unsung British team-mate Hughie Teape, running in
another second-round heat, actually clocked 13.50 to squeeze his way
through as a fast loser.
But Jackson insisted there was no cause for alarm. ''I was just taking
it easy last night,'' he claimed. ''My coach, Malcolm Arnold, told me
you don't get medals for good second-round performances. I don't expect
to be running like that today.''
But it was not a convincing argument. Last night's race was an
illustration of Jackson's long-held contention that the sprint hurdles
is a difficult event to win.
Jackson's other team-mate, world bronze medallist Tony Jarrett, also
qualified in second place in his heat in 13.43.
* BRITAIN'S three 400m men all survived the first round last night,
but the star performer was 19-year-old David Grindley, who powered
through in the wake of Trinidad's Ian Morris with a time of 44.91 -- the
fastest ever by a British teenager.
Roger Black, in the hottest heat, was third with 45.28 behind the
defending Olympic champion, Steve Lewis (USA, 44.54) and the Cuban,
Roberto Hernandez (44.84). Derek Redmond looked most impressive of all,
seeming to jog the last 60 metres, yet recording 45.02.
The finish of the high jump was the closest in Olympic history, with
five men all clearing 2.34m, and a three-way tie for the bronze. Javier
Sotomayor, of Cuba, won the event from Sweden's Patrik Sjoeberg. The tie
for bronze was between Artur Partyka (Poland), Hollis Conway (USA) and
Tim Forsythe (Australia).
* JACKIE Joyner-Kersee successfully defended the heptathlon title. She
logged a total of 7044pts to beat Irina Belova, of the CIS (6845), with
Sabine Braun, of Germany, third with 6649. Britain's Clova Court was
nineteenth with 5994.
* OLYMPIC organisers have scrapped the traditional athletes' parade at
next Sunday's closing ceremony. ''The parade will only be with the
flagbearers,'' said Josep Roca, the director of ceremonies.
The decision to cut the emotional closing highlight of the Games
angered athletes. They had hoped to take part in a rousing climax to 16
days of sport.
''They've kicked us in the teeth on this one,'' complained Roland Lee,
a British swimmer at his third Games.
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