Athletics: Stoppages frustrate a disappointed Brunner

By MARK GEENTY

New Zealand long jumper Chantal Brunner, frustrated by numerous interruptions and an annoying headwind, walked away from her third Commonwealth Games without winning a medal yesterday after leaping to within 10cm of a bronze.

She improved one place on her sixth positions at the last two Commonwealth Games to be fifth with a best jump of 6.39m.

Of the other New Zealanders in action yesterday, pole vaulter Melina Hamilton and sprinter Dallas Roberts performed well below their best on a night dominated by endless England gold-medal ceremonies and a thrilling men's 200m final won by 34-year-old Namibian Frankie Fredericks.

Brunner, 32, said it was a tough session when the long jumpers were made to wait numerous times for the ceremonies and other stoppages.

"They made it as difficult as possible for us with the headwind and all the interruptions." Brunner had five legitimate leaps, ranging from 6.20m to a best of 6.39m with her fourth attempt. It was an improvement on her qualifying effort, but still well off her personal best of 6.68m.

The event was won by Jamaican Elva Goulbourne, with 6.70m.

English jumper Jade Johnson confirmed her promise by securing silver when she broke the sand at 6.58m. Third to sixth were within 11cm of each other.

Brunner said: "It was my third time and I was hoping to capture a medal. I felt good and I was confident of doing it."

She was noncommittal about going to the Athens Olympics in two years, saying a holiday was the only thing on her mind.

"We'll see; the jury's still out on that one."

Anju Bobby George became the first woman to win an athletics medal for India when she leaped 6.49m to take the bronze.

George, who takes her English name from her Indian husband, Bobby George, waited until her sixth and final jump to overtake Chinedu Odozor, of Nigeria, and claim the historic medal.

George, voted India's leading female athlete last year, broke her ankle in a domestic meeting just before the Sydney Olympics two years ago.

The tall and slender 25-year-old is coached by her husband, a former Indian triple jump champion, and her brother-in-law, Jimmy George, is a volleyball star.

But despite her medal, George said she had expected more.

"I had hoped for a better performance, but I'm happy with a medal. My last jump was the make-or-break moment. I knew that if I jumped around 6.50m then I would get a medal.

"This is my first major medal. I hope it shows other Indian athletes that if you try you can do it."

George has taken Indian women's athletics to a new level, becoming the first woman from the nation to break 6.50m in the long jump. She has a personal best of 6.74m.

In the men's high hurdles, world recordholder Colin Jackson, of England, was fastest after the semifinals in 13.34s. South Africa's Shaun Bownes was second-fastest at 13.48s and Tony Jarrett, of England, third at 13.65s in the 110m event.

"You can never be too confident, never ever," Jackson said. "I've got 10 hurdles in front of me and I have to make sure I clear those well."

In the women's 100m hurdles, Jamaicans Lacena Golding-Clark (12.74s) and Vonette Dixon (12.83s) were fastest.

Hamilton, the only New Zealand pole vaulter left after the withdrawal of Jenni Dryburgh and the injury to Emma Draisey, cleared 3.90m with her second attempt, but she found 4m too tough.

She appeared comfortably to clear the bar twice, but knocked it with her arm.

Hamilton was also well off her personal best of 4.25m, a height easily cleared by Australian Tatiana Grigorieva to set a Games record of 4.35m.

- NZPA

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