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Felix Sanchez delights his fans

Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic kisses the track after winning the men's 400m hurdles final at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Wednesday. World champion Sanchez won the gold medal in a new games record time of 48.19 seconds. PHOTO: REUTERS

World champion Felix Sanchez won the gold medal in the 400m hurdles Wednesday, sending his home fans into wild celebrations with a Pan American Games record, while the US took the glamour events by winning both the men's and women's 100m dash.

Sanchez, who was born in the US but took on his parents' Dominican nationality, won the 400m hurdles in 48.19 seconds. The previous Pan American Games record, held by Eronilde Nunez de Araujo of Brazil, was 48.23.

The world record, set by American Kevin Young at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, is 46.78.

The packed house at the Olympic Stadium cheered wildly as Sanchez easily won the race, beating Eric Thomas of the US, who finished in 48.74. Jamaican Dean Griffiths got the bronze.

After the race, fans tried desperately to touch Sanchez, who was surrounded by photographers and draped in a Dominican flag. The crowd continued to cheer while he ran a victory lap.

American Mickey Grimes won the men's 100 in 10.10 seconds while countrywoman Lauryn Williams took the women's gold in 11.12.

Yipsi Moreno of Cua is about to throw the hammer during the Pan American Games on Wednesday. Moreno set a Pan American Games record with a distance of 74.25m. PHOTO: AFP

Grimes edged Michael Frater of Jamaica, who was second in 10.21, and American Marcelle Scales. Williams topped countrywoman Angela Williams and bronze-medalist Liliana Allen of Mexico.

In the women's 800, Letitia Vriesde gave Suriname its first gold medal of the games, finishing in 2:02.92 to beat Adriana Munoz of Cuba and Marian Burnette of Guyana. Achraf Tadili of Canada set a Pan American Games record in the men's 800m, winning in 1:45.64. Osmar dos Santos of Brazil got the silver and Fabiano Pecanha of Brazil took the bronze.

In other athletics events, Joanna Hayes of the US won the 400m hurdles. Cuba's Daimy Pernia Figueroa won the silver medal and Andrea Blackett of Barbados got the bronze.

Earlier, Mexicans Victoria Palacios and Rosario Sanchez took the top two spots in the women's 20 kilometer walk.

"In Mexico, the walk is an important event, and today we did not disappoint," Rosario Sanchez said.

Later Wednesday, host Dominican Republic will face Brazil in the men's basketball final, which starts at 0100 GMT. Seven more athletics gold medals will be given out on Thursday, as well as two more in diving, two in fencing and three in shooting.

In early men's basketball games Wednesday, Canada beat Uruguay 83-52 to take seventh place while Uruguay finished last in the eight-team competition. Mexico then finished fifth, topping Argentina 95-90. Puerto Rico and the US will play for the bronze medal.

In women's basketball, Cuba finished in first place in the six-team group despite losing to Brazil 79-70.

Cuba will face fourth-place Canada in the semifinals on Friday. In the other semifinal, Brazil will take on the US. The medal round is set for Saturday.

In other events, Canada and Cuba added two more golds while the US picked up one.

World champion Emilie Heymans of Canada won the women's 10-meter platform and the Canadian men won the 3-meter synchronized diving.

In women's 50-meter rifle shooting, Yaima Cruz of Cuba won the gold. Jeffrey Holguin of the United States won the men's double trap.

Cuba won the men's team epee in fencing, while Venezuela took silver and Puerto Rico got the bronze.
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