Greene easily defeats Montgomery
Gene Cherry
Maurice Greene roared away from Tim Montgomery at the start and easily won their first 100 metres clash of the year in 9.99 seconds in the semi-finals of the U.S. championships on Friday.
"There's been a lot of talk, now it's time to show what you've got," said world record holder Greene, who defeated the talkative Montgomery by more than a metre on the opening day of the three-day meeting.
World silver medallist Montgomery, who said the starting gun was fired before he was ready to run, finished second in 10.13 seconds.
A long jump of 8.52 metres, the best in the world this year, by world silver medallist Savante Stringfellow, and a sparkling run of 10.98 seconds by triple Olympic champion Marion Jones into a headwind of 2.3 mps were the other highlights on a cool day in Palo Alto.
Montgomery had been saying for weeks that this would be the year he would eclipse Greene's world record of 9.79 seconds.
RIGHTFUL PLACE
"I told you when I came back on the track I would take my rightful place," said Greene, who until his win in Athens earlier this month had not raced since being injured in his victory over Montgomery in the final of the World championships last August.
"Earlier this year I was dead," Greene said. "He was the man to beat. Now it's time to stop (talking)."
No words were exchanged at the start, Greene said, but "I said (to myself) I'm going to put an end to this talk".
Montgomery agreed that Greene had, for at least one day, but said Saturday could be different.
Jones was impressive in winning her 100 metres semi-final in the headwind. Chryste Gaines was faster in the other race, running 10.96 seconds, but she was helped by a tailwind of 0.7 mps.
"I'm not surprised at the time," said Jones, who is seeking gold here in the 100 and 200 metres.
"It's the national championships. Like Chryste mentioned, it's time to lay it all on the line. If you haven't put it together yet, you're in trouble. We all go over to Europe next week."
Stringfellow's winning long jump, on his second attempt, was a lifetime best.
"I knew it would take something big to win," said the 23-year-old, who wears a Superman T-shirt between jumps.
