Athletics: Hurting Greene chases 'greatest' title

EDMONTON - Maurice Greene's dream was to blaze into the Edmonton world championships injury-free, repeat his 1999 triple triumph in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, and move closer to his goal of becoming the world's greatest sprinter.

But as the hours tick away to the start of the championships on Saturday, Greene is hurting.

Tendinitis in his left knee is painfully affecting the ability of the 100m world recordholder and Olympic champion to start and decelerate.

A new rival has emerged, too. Fellow American Tim Montgomery's 9.84s performance in Oslo swept the honour of fastest man of the year away from Greene.

Yet there are no changes of plan. Until his body tells him differently, Greene will be plying through the 100m rounds from Sunday and moving on to the 200m next week.

It is his duty, he believes.

Greene's 1999 world record of 9.79s on Athens' Olympic track and a 9.80 two months later in Seville are the standard for the 100m. No one has run faster without an assisting wind, and only drug cheat Ben Johnson has run as fast.

"People are expecting me to win hands down," said 27-year-old Greene.

"I do not believe that is going to be the case. I still have to run the complete race."

The tendinitis was a handicap, he said, but would not stop him running.

"The first couple of steps are very painful, but after I get going I feel no pain at all."

Until he decelerates. Then there is a sharp pain, "like a needle sticking in you."

Yet the hunger to win remains as great as it was in Athens in the 1997 world championships when, a year after bouncing out of the qualifying rounds of the US Olympic trials, he sped to his first major title.

"Dominate everything - that's what I want to do," Greene said.

He moved from his native Kansas City to Los Angeles more than four years ago to train with the world's leading sprint coach, John Smith.

Following a complete rebuilding of his race by Smith, Greene has become No 1.

World titles came his way at 100m in 1997 and over 100m and 200m in 1999.

He holds world records indoors and out, and, in the most satisfying championship of them all, he won the 100m Olympic gold in Sydney.

There have been stumbles. Both he and Michael Johnson crashed out of the much-hyped 200m final at the US Olympic trials with injury, denying them the chance to race that distance at Sydney.

Now Greene is back, chasing rivals not only of today but of the past as well.

"I want to be known as the greatest sprinter ever."

He recognises compatriot Carl Lewis as the present holder of that title, but he believes it is within his grasp.

"Carl Lewis has done a lot for our sport," Greene said. "He has brought it to one level and now it's time for someone to step up and take it to the next level. I believe that person is me."

Said Smith: "Carl is Mr Olympic Games. As he got older, people started beating him because sometimes he couldn't train. He was out promoting things. He was taking advantage of some of the spoils of being who he was.

"But when it came down to major championships, there was no person as tough and who exemplified what the Olympic Games were about. Even when they wrote him off [in 1996] he still got the gold."

That is the path Greene must pursue, healthy or not.

With 3000 athletes and team officials, 2500 media members, 5000 volunteers and a projected television audience of four billion, the championships are surpassed only by the Olympics and soccer's World Cup.

Millions of dollars have been poured into Commonwealth Stadium to build a new track, a huge press centre, the world's largest Sony television screen, new toilets and concession stands.

Still, the 10-day championships, which feature 24 men's and 22 women's athletic events, have not generated much excitement locally.

None of the events, including the opening ceremonies, has sold out. Hotel accommodation, although tight, is still available.

"Track and field is not known here," said Joan Laforge, an Edmonton 2001 spokeswoman. "We knew from the start that we would have to educate people."

Alberta Premier Ralph Klein and Edmonton Mayor Bill Smith have appeared in television ads flogging the tickets.

Hosting the event was the dream of Edmonton lawyer Jack Agrios, who became hooked on athletics after watching television coverage of the 1993 worlds in Stuttgart, Germany.

"We're going to have very, very good crowds," he predicted.

"Capacity crowds far in excess of whatever attended the championships in Athens and Seville have been assured here. We know we're going to put on a good show."

* Six New Zealanders are competing: Jane Arnott (400m), Craig Barrett (50km walk), Chantal Brunner (long jump), Jenni Dryburgh (pole vault), John Henwood (10,000m) and Tasha Williams (hammer).

- AGENCIES