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World championships begin in Finland

From left, Holland's Karin Ruckstuhl, Ghana's Margaret Simpson, Sweden's Carolina Kluft, Britain's Kelly Sotherton, France's Eunice Barber and the US' Hyleas Fountain during the 100m hurldes heptathlon at the World Athletics Championships in Helsinki, yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Three-time world champion John Godina of the US failed to make the final of the shot put at the world athletics championships yesterday, and Justin Gatlin confidently started his quest to add the world title to his 100m Olympic gold.

Godina threw only 19.54m, well below his season-leading mark of 22.20, and finished 17th. Only the top 12 advanced.

The Americans had been hoping for a sweep of medals. Christian Cantwell had the top throw with 21.11, and Adam Nelson also qualified easily with a throw of 20.35.

On a sunny opening morning at the Olympic Stadium, Gatlin breezed through his heat, slowing down at the end and clocking 10.16 seconds.

"It felt good to get those little jitters out of the way. Even if you are a champion, you always have those first-round jitters," Gatlin said.

Even though his time was slow, Gatlin said he could turn it on whenever he wanted.

"If it takes a world record I will go out and run a world record. Even if it is cool I will do what it takes," he said.

Gatlin's task in the 100m was made easier by the no-show of world record-holder Asafa Powell, who is out with a groin injury after setting a mark of 9.77 early in the season.

Defending champion Kim Collins also won his heat, in a slow 10.31. Jason Gardner also got through by winning his heat in 10.19.

Olympic 200m champion Shawn Crawford also went through, even though he was beaten by Portugal's Francis Obikwelu in his heat.

Later in the championships, he wants to add more golds in the 200m and 400m relay to emulate the 1999 feat of sprinting great Maurice Greene.

Olympic heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft showed little effect from a sprained left ankle. With her taped jumping foot, the defending champion finished second to France's Eunice Barber in the opening 100m hurdles.

Their rivalry is one of the highlights of the opening weekend at the world championships.

"I don't want to be in her shoes right now," Barber said of Kluft. "I really understand how she would feel. You have to be really fit to do well in the [heptathlon], and she's got a long way to go."

Even though Tatyana Lebedeva qualified for the final of the triple jump, the Russian forfeited two attempts after a mediocre opening jump of 14.15 and scraped through as the 10th of 12 qualifiers.

Lebedeva is still unbeaten in Golden League meets, but a tender Achilles at the Oslo meet last week has cast doubt on her fitness. She is going for a third straight title.

Godina was going for his fourth.

Despite his age of 33, Godina insisted he was far from finished after his early exit. He said four injuries and two illnesses had slowed him down this season.

"I had a major foot injury and that just finished things," Godina said.

"I kind of wish the worlds had been closer to the injury because I would still have had some rhythm.

"You do what you can and obviously today, that was not a heck of a lot," he said.

Godina and his two teammates had combined for the nine best marks in the world heading into the competition.

After winning his first world title a decade ago, he will continue compete and plans to train for "two more Olympics."

The first title of the championships is up for grabs in the men's 20km walk, with Spain's Francisco Fernandez the favorite. Olympic champion Ivano Brugnetti is convinced the first gold will go to Italy instead.

In the final event on the opening day, Paula Radcliffe will be looking for atonement after her failure to get a 10,000m-marathon double in Athens, where she failed to finish either race. Now, she is downplaying Saturday's 10,000m final and promises to center on the marathon instead.

No woman has won both at a major event so far and Radcliffe will face tough opposition from four Ethiopians, led by teenage sensation Tirunesh Dibaba, who won a world cross country double this year, and added the indoor 5,000m world record.

Dibaba, 19, is the defending 5,000m champion and earning two golds in Helsinki would also ensure the first 5,000m-10,000m double.
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