Athletics: Hounded Perec in hiding

SYDNEY - Cold, trapped in her hotel room and hounded by reporters, French triple Olympic champion Marie-Jose Perec complains that she has yet to start training in Sydney for her showdown with Australia's Cathy Freeman.

Breaking a silence since arriving in Australia, the volatile sprint star has poured out her troubles on her website, suggesting that she was the victim of a plot to throw her off balance ahead of her 400m clash with Freeman, one of the most eagerly-anticipated races of the Games.

"It's crazy," she wrote, starting an angry outburst on her website [see link below] with a moan about the chilly spring weather.

"What infuriates me most is the Australian media who say whatever they like about me."

Perec, who was born in Guadeloupe, has been plagued by sickness and injury since winning gold at the Atlanta Games in 1996.

She lashed out at media "rumours" and "gratuitous attacks."

Australian newspapers have branded 32 year old Perec a petulant prima donna in contrast to Freeman, who is a darling of the media and hot favourite to win the 400m crown.

Perec said she had been isolated in her hotel room for three days. When she did emerge she was chased by reporters.

"The other day I almost had a car crash," she said.

"I hope this will all come to an end and I can start concentrating."

Perec's isolation seems to be of her own making. French team officials offered to move her from her hotel, which is packed with French journalists, and into the athletes' village. She declined.

But since finding herself seated next to a reporter at breakfast on her first day, Perec apparently has been ordering room service.

She is just as stand-offish with her own team-mates, and plans to train separately with her German coach.

In Atlanta, Perec won gold in both the 400m and 200m. She is aiming for her third successive Olympic 400m gold in Sydney, which would be an astonishing turnaround for the runner who has hardly raced in the past year, and was almost counted out of competition after coming down with chronic fatigue syndrome.

She has hidden her form by pulling out of meetings this year in London, Monaco and Brussels.

- REUTERS

Links:

Marie-José Perec: le site officiel