Greene clocks 9.91 seconds in Athens 100 metres

Olympic 100 metres champion Maurice Greene posted the fastest time over the distance this year on a scorching Monday night in Athens, clocking 9.91 seconds at the track where he set his 1999 world record of 9.79.

Greene's lead was followed by a host of athletes who, despite the soaring temperatures, produced eight world bests for 2001, including a European record of 4.57 metres in the women's pole vault from Russia's Svetlana Feofanova.

Greene had to produce a blistering performance to fend off his training partner and Olympic silver medallist Ato Boldon, who also broke the 10-second barrier with 9.97.

The Sydney champion, however, was visibly disappointed not to have gone faster, after fuelling hopes of another world record-breaking performance at the Athens Grand Prix.

"I was expecting something better," the Kansas Cannonball told reporters afterwards.

Fellow Sydney sensation Costas Kenteris of Greece fired a warning to his rivals in his first competitive run since the Olympics, clocking 20.10 seconds in the 200 metres for this year's world best.

Last year's shock gold medallist produced a commanding run in front of an adoring home crowd, shaving 0.08 seconds off Bernard Williams's mark in May.

Feofanova's pole vault triumph came against a strong field that included former record holder Anzhela Balankhova of the Ukraine, who finished second with 4.52 metres.

In the women's 100 metres, Ukraine's Zhanna Pintusevich produced her fastest time in four years with 10.93, becoming the first woman to go under 11 seconds this year.

LIGHTNING-FAST RACE

The 1997 world champion crossed the line with an emphatic victory salute in a lightning-fast race where three athletes broke the 11-second mark.

The race came too early in the season for local favourite and Olympic silver medallist Katerina Thanou who came home in fourth with her best time of the year, 11.02 seconds.

Olympic women's 400 metres bronze medallist Katharine Merry, meanwhile, confirmed her impressive form this season with a personal best of 49.58 seconds, the world's fastest time this year.

The Briton put in a strong performance and was still going away from her opponents as she crossed the line.

"I'm happy with the performance and almost broke the British record," she said.

World record holder Colin Jackson's hopes for a morale-boosting win in the 110 metres hurdles were shattered, however, as he slipped into a share of second place behind Cuban Olympic champion Anier Garcia.

The Cuban revealed afterwards that he ran despite lacking full fitness: "I am carrying an injury but I'm excited it was a great race and I am now preparing for Athens 2004."

Sydney women's triple jump silver medallist, Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia, set another world best for 2001 with a giant leap of 14.91 metres.

Cuban newcomer Magdalen Martinez broke her personal best in the event with a jump of 14.40 metres, securing a memorable second place ahead of Russian Olympic champion Tereza Marinova of Bulgaria, who could only manage 14.48 metres.