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Wariner leads US sweep in 400, Mutola loses
Jeremy Wariner stepped into Michael Johnson's shoes and led a US sweep in 400m, edging out Otis Harris for his first major title.
Jeremy Wariner stepped into Michael Johnson's shoes and led a US sweep in the 400 meters on Monday, powering down the stretch to edge Otis Harris for his first major title.
Wariner clocked 44 seconds, his personal best, to stretch the Americans' winning streak in the event to 20 years and pick up where the retired two-time champion Johnson left off.
Harris won the silver in 44.16, and Derrick Brew took the bronze in 44.42.
"It means a lot. We all thought we could go out there and go 1-2-3. We did our best, we fought hard, and we all came out on top," Wariner said, showing no sign of emotion. "It hasn't sunk in yet."
Wariner has Johnson's old coach, Clyde Hart.
Kelly Holmes took away her friend Maria Mutola's 800-meter Olympic title in a close race that saw the defending champion shut out of the medals.
Francoise Mbango Etone gave Cameroon its first Olympic medal in athletics when she won the triple jump at 15.30 meters.
Robert Fazekas of Hungary set an Olympic record of 70.93 meters to win the gold in the discus. Defending champion Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania had to settle for silver at 69.89 and Zoltan Kovago of Hungary took the bronze at 67.04.
Mutola, the three-time world champion from Mozambique, appeared on the way to another gold when she took the lead coming into the final straight. But Holmes closed in and passed her friend and training partner in the finish.
