American stars shine in Paris rain

American stars were back in top-form at the Paris Golden League meeting as Marion Jones broke her own season's world best in the 100 metres and Maurice Greene sprinted back to victory after two defeats.

In wet and chilly conditions, Jones won in 10.89 seconds cutting her previous best time by a hundredth of a second.

"She ran like a storm," admitted France's Muriel Hurtis, who won both the 100 and 200 metres at the European Cup two weeks ago but finished fourth in 11.15 seconds.

Jamaican Tayna Lawrence was second in 11.04 and Chryste Gaynes of the United States third in 11.06.

"The media put a lot of pressure on Hurtis and I know how difficult it can be," Jones said. "I have a lot of respect for this young lady."

Hurtis asked the meeting organisers to be allowed to double up the sprint races but she was also beaten in the 200 metres by American Kelli White.

Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj won the men's 1500 metres in three minutes 29.96 seconds, a new season's best time.

"I'm very proud of this performance particularly as we had to race in the rain," the three-times world champion and world record holder said.

Another season's best was set by Britain's Olympic triple jump champion Jonathan Edwards who posted 17.75 metres at his fourth attempt, 15 centimetres better than Sweden's Christian Olsson who was in the lead after three jumps.

"I have a real competitor with Olsson," said Edwards who holds the world record of 18.29 metres. "Sometimes, I like it, sometimes I don't, but at one point I was questioning my ability to win with the weather as it was."

GREENE MAKES A SHOW

After suffering two defeats in as many days last week by Britain's Dwain Chambers in Oslo, the first leg of the Golden League, and at an international meeting in Sheffield, Greene was back to his flamboyant self in front of a 35,000 strong crowd at Stade de France.

"I feel well rested and I came here to make a show," Greene the Olympic and World champion said. "I feel good and I'm ready to start performing again. I'm not at my top but it will come."

Chambers withdrew from the Paris meeting saying he wanted to rest a shoulder injury. Greene won the race in a time of 9.99 seconds, ahead of compatriot Bernard Williams (10.03) and Britain's Mark Lewis-Francis (10.04).

Tim Montgomery, who promised at the beginning of the season to beat Greene's world record of 9.79 seconds, finished a disappointing fourth in 10.08.

Triple world 100m hurdles champion Gail Devers showed she was still a force at 35 as she won the 100 metres hurdles in 12.56 seconds. Compatriot Anjanette Kirkland finished second with Jamaica's Brigitte Forster third.

Olympic champion Anier Garcia of Cuba won the men's 110 metres hurdles in 13.14 ahead of American Terrence Trammel (13.28) and Yoel Hernandez also from Cuba (13.42).

Britain's world record holder Colin Jackson had to be content with fourth place in 13.44.

World champion Felix Sanchez, from the Dominican Republic, won the 400 metres hurdles in a time of 47.91, with Britain's Chris Rawlinson, who won at Lausanne on Tuesday, clocking 48.26 while France's Stephane Diagana was third in 48.28.

One of the surprises of the evening came from 19-year-old Australian Jana Pittman who defeated Olympic 400m hurdles champion Deon Hemmings of Jamaica in 54.58 seconds. Hemmings was second in 54.64.

There was also drama in the pole vault when Jean Galfione, a favourite of the French crowd since he became Olympic champion in 1996, withdrew at the last minute.

He was replaced by Romain Mesnil, who won the event with a vault of 5.65 metres pipping Aleksandr Averbukh of Israel by ten centimetres.

Mesnil's victory was the first by a French athlete in a Golden League meeting.