Athletics: That's one for golden oldies

MANCHESTER - Namibian sprinter Frankie Fredericks struck a morale-boosting blow for the over-30s in sport yesterday when he became the oldest man to win a track title in the 72-year-old history of the Games.

The 34-year-old former world champion, who feared his career was over because of injuries in the last two years, won the 200m final in 20.06s to pick up his second Commonwealth gold medal after his triumph in Victoria, Canada, in 1994.

Former Olympic sprint champion Linford Christie won the 100m at the age of 34 at those Games to set the previous record as the oldest man to triumph on the track.

But Fredericks is five months older than Christie was in Victoria. Only competitors in discus, hammer and the marathon have been older when they won titles in track and field.

The oldest male gold medallist in athletics is England's Jack Holden, who won the 1950 marathon at 42.

It is nine years since Fredericks won his only world title in the 200m, in the Stuttgart. The Namibian has struggled with so many injuries recently that he feared his career was finished. For that reason, yesterday's victory was extra special.

"It means a lot. I thought I was done. But I have come back and this is something special," Fredericks said before collapsing into tears. "I went through a lot of trouble. This is one gold medal I will never forget."

He beat two England sprinters, Marlon Devonish (20.19s) and Sydney Olympic silver medallist Darren Campbell (20.21s).

It was an excellent day for Africa. Mozambique's Maria Mutola retained her women's 800m title with a powerful finish in 1m 57.35s, and South African Mbulaeni Mulaudzi produced a strong kick to win the men's 800m.

The 21-year-old Mulaudzi charged to the front rounding the final bend and surged clear to win in 1m 46.32s.

It was the first time a Kenyan athlete had failed to win the two-lap race at the Games since 1986, when African nations boycotted the event.

Kenya captured every men's event from 800m to 10,000m at the last Games, in Kuala Lumpur, and despite sending a weakened squad this time, they had hopes of a similar clean-sweep in Manchester.

They began well enough with victories in the 10,000m and steeplechase, before Mulaudzi ended their run to become the first South African to win the event after Hezekiel Sepeng was second to Kenyans in 1994 and 1998.

He would have started favourite in Manchester, but was withdrawn from the team after failing to turn up in time.

"To win this title was my main aim for this year," Mulaudzi said. "It was a hard race. The guys were coming up so fast from the outside lanes."

Debbie Ferguson, of the Bahamas, completed a sprint double with a dominant win in the women's 200m.

The 26-year-old blew her rivals away to win in 22.20s, to add the 200m gold to the 100m she won on Sunday.

Ferguson's time was the fastest in the world this year and also broke Cathy Freeman's Commonwealth Games record of 22.25s which the Australian set in Victoria.

Ferguson is the first woman to win the double since Merlene Ottey did it for Jamaica at Auckland in 1990.

Ferguson was overjoyed at heading Jamaican Juliet Campbell (22.54s) and Australian Lauren Hewitt (22.69s).

"I haven't been training as much for the 200m," Ferguson said. "To run 22.20 means I'm almost close to my personal best, and considering what I've done for the year, it's fantastic."

With Eve Laverne's win in the javelin, the Bahamas have already surpassed their gold medal tally, two, from the 1998 Games. And there could be more in the relays.

Jamaica also fared well, with Elva Goulbourne winning the long jump and Campbell adding a matching 200m silver to her 100m.

England's Chris Rawlinson won the 400m hurdles in 49.14s and Mark Boswell led a Canada 1-2 in the men's high jump.

The Manchester crowd have produced the best atmosphere at a major athletics meeting since the Stuttgart championships.

The event won praise yesterday from IOC vice-president Kevan Gosper, of Australia. Britain's image as a host of major sports event was hit when it had to scrap plans to stage the 2005 world athletics championships in London because of stadium problems.

But it may still bid for the 2012 Olympics.

- REUTERS

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