El Guerrouj runs fastest mile on U.S. soil

Gene Cherry

Moroccan world record-holder Hicham El Guerrouj ran the fastest outdoor mile ever on U.S. soil, clocking three minutes 49.92 seconds at the Prefontaine Classic on Sunday.

"I wanted to run 3:46, but the pacemakers got too far ahead," said the Olympic silver medallist, who hopes to challenge his world 1,500-metre record in Rome next month.

His time, the fastest in the world this year, bettered the previous U.S. soil best of 3:50.86, which Algerian Noureddine Morceli set in a pre-Olympic meeting in Atlanta in 1996.

American newcomer Alan Webb, only 18, wiped out former world record holder Jim Ryun's U.S. high school record with a fifth-place finish of 3:53.43. Ryun had run 3:55.3 in 1965.

"He could be my number one rival if he works at it," El Guerrouj said of Webb. "He obviously has a great future."

The meeting also produced a shock defeat in the 100 metres for world record holder Maurice Greene, a quality, but wind-assisted, 200-metre victory for Marion Jones and four other season-leading times.

Jamaican Olympian Patrick Jarrett appeared to jump the gun and was never caught in running a wind-assisted 9.89 seconds in the men's 100 metres.

"It was the best race of my life," said Jarrett. "I just went."

American Olympian Tim Montgomery was second in 9.92 and Greene, who closed fast, finished third in the same time.

"I saw Jarrett two or three steps ahead," said Greene training partner Jon Drummond, who was fifth in 10.18. "It had to be a false start."

Greene just grinned when asked about the possibility of a false start. "I can't tell," he said. "It was my fault. I made a mistake. When he goes, I've got to go. I hesitated. I can't do that."

Triple Olympic gold medallist Jones was fully in control down the stretch in her first 200 metres of the season. She won her section in a wind-assisted 22.26 seconds.

Training partner Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas claimed the other section in 23.03.

"I felt good in the start and coming off the turn," said Jones, who plans to do the 200 metres and long jump in the U.S. nationals here next month.

American Bernard Williams won the men's 200 metres in the fastest time in the world this season, 20.18 seconds. Countryman Ramon Clay was second in 20.33.

Women's bests of 2001 were set by Jamaican Deloreen Ennis-London, who clocked 12.68 seconds in the 100-metre hurdles, Mozambique Olympic champion Maria Mutola, who ran the 800 metres in 1:58.90, while American Amy Acuff cleared 1.98 metres (6 feet 6 inches) in the high jump.

World pole vault record holder Stacy Dragila won her event with 4.61 metres (15 feet, 1 1/2 inches), then missed three times at a world-record height of 4.71 metres.