Athletics: Regis and Jackson records gone with the wind: Christie equals UK All Comers' mark in beating out Smith's challenge as Gunnell shows world-class turn of speed

BRITAIN'S sprinters were flattered by a strong wind at last night's TSB Challenge, and the team overall - who won their match with the United States and restricted them to just one track victory - were flattered by opposition that was nowhere near top strength.

But the Meadowbank meeting was a success in its own terms, providing valuable experience for up and coming athletes, and reassuring those already established with just seven weeks left until the world championships.

Colin Jackson and John Regis both saw what would have been respective British records in the 110 metres hurdles and 200m disallowed because wind readings were over the permitted level of two metres per second. And Jonathan Edwards's 17.70m in the triple jump, the longest distance in the world this year and way over Keith Connor's Commonwealth and national record of 17.57, was also rendered illegal for record purposes because of a reading of 2.9.

Linford Christie, forced to exert maximum effort in the second half of the 100m to catch Calvin Smith on the line, finished in 10.06sec, equalling the UK All Comers' record jointly held by Mel Lattany and Ben Johnson. His wind reading was only 1.7, although there was no record in question.

Jackson followed with a winning 110m hurdles time of 13.01, which would have beaten his European record of 13.04 but for a following wind of 3.6. Regis, holding off a 200m field which included Christie to win in 20.08, was frustrated by a reading of just 2.1. Jackson, Regis and Edwards will no doubt master their disappointment. On the night, the important thing was points. Long term, they are all looking in heartening form for the world championships.

None, however, looks in more promising form than Sally Gunnell - captaining a women's team who lost their match - who won the 400m flat in 51.30sec against a field that included the fourth, fifth and sixth finishers at the US trials.

On a chill night for high jumpers, Dalton Grant finished as the leading Briton with 2.26m, losing on countback to Monterrio Holder of the US. Steve Smith was fifth with 2.15.

Tom McKean earned his first victory of the season in front of a home crowd as he held off Martin Steele, who had beaten him in Belfast two weeks earlier, to win in 1min 48.19sec. Less satisfying was Steve Cram's performance in a slow 1500m won by another home runner, David Strang. Cram, who was supposed to be sharpening up for next week's attempt at gaining a 5,000m world championship qualifying time, reacted sluggishly to the Scotsman's final sprint, finishing third in 3:56.77.

Kriss Akabusi, in his farewell appearance at a stadium where he gained his first international appearance 10 years ago, won the 400m hurdles in 50.45. The man at whose expense Akabusi gained a European Cup place, Gary Cadogan, was a ragged fourth.

In the men's 400m, David Grindley was made to work hard for his victory. It took until the finishing straight before he caught up with the American collegiate champion, Derek Mills. Grindley won by a metre in a time of 45.43. Rob Denmark won the 3,000m with the ease which he displayed in toying with the European Cup field last Sunday, in 8min 08.55sec.

TSB CHALLENGE (GB v USA, Edinburgh): MEN: 100m: 1 L Christie (GB) 10.06sec (UK all-comers record); 2 C Smith (US) 10.06; 3 V Henderson (US) 10.11; 4 J Regis (GB) 10.21; 7 T Box (GB) 10.38. 200m: 1 J Regis (GB) 20.08; 2 L Christie (GB) 20.19; 3 C Nelloms (US) 20.22; 5 J John (GB) 20.51. 400m: 1 D Grindley (GB) 45.43; 2 D Mills (US) 45.57; 3 L Smith (US) 46.02; 5 A Mafe (GB) 46.36; 6 D Ladejo (GB) 46.47. 800m: 1 T McKean (GB) 1min 48.19sec; 2 M Steele (GB) 1:48.44; 3 M Yates (GB, guest) 1:48.44; 4 D Sharpe (GB) 1:48.76. 1500m: 1 D Strang (GB) 3:55.57; 2 W Burke (US) 3:56.49; 3 S Cram (GB) 3:56.77; 4 S Fairbrother (GB) 3:57.16. 3,000m: 1 R Denmark (GB) 8:08.55; 2 S Barden (GB) 8:09.56; 3 P Weilenmann (US) 8:10.11; 5 A Pearson (GB) 8:11.18. 110m hurdles: 1 C Jackson (GB) 13.01; 2 T Jarrett (GB) 13.25; 3 A Johnson (US) 13.34; 6 H Teape (GB) 13.60. 400m hurdles: 1 K Akabusi (GB) 50.45; 2 K Henderson (US) 50.81; 3 T Zellner (US) 50.95; 4 G Cadogan (GB) 51.24; 5 P Crampton (GB) 51.33. 3,000m steeplechase: 1 T Hanlon (GB) 8:36.24; 2 C Walker (GB, guest) 8:36.82; 3 K Van Calcar (US) 8:37.20; 4 J Chastin (GB, guest) 8:37.26; 5 D Reece (US) 8:38.06; 6 S Duval (GB) 8:41.79; 8 T Buckner (GB) 9:01.95. High jump: 1 M Holder (US) 2.26; 2 D Grant (GB) 2.26; 3 T Barton (US) 2.23; 5= B Reilly and S Smith (GB) 2.15. Pole vault: 1 M Holloway (US) 5.70; 2 P Manson (US) 5.60; 3 D Starkey (US) 5.50; 4 M Edwards (GB) 5.40; 5 N Winter (GB) 5.40; 6 M Belsham (GB) 5.00. Long jump: 1 D Bentley (US) 7.97; 2 A Turner (US) 7.94; 3 B Williams (GB) 7.70; 4 I Simpson (GB) 7.70; 5 F Salle (GB) 7.58. Triple jump: 1 J Edwards (GB) 17.70; 2 J Golley (GB) 16.88; 3 T Scott (US) 16.70; 6 T Fasinro (GB) 15.97. Shot: 1 M Stulce (US) 20.75; 2 R Barnes (US) 20.75; 3 P Edwards (GB) 18.81; 5 M Simson (GB) 18.38; 6 D Callaway (GB) 17.07. Discus: 1 S Muse (US) 61.44; 2 R Weir (GB) 61.30; 3 R Heisler (US) 60.50; 4 R Meyer (US) 59.04; 5 D Morris (GB) 56.80; 6 N Thompson (GB) 54.00. Hammer: 1 P Head (GB) 69.82m; 2 J Driscoll (US) 69.16; 3 K McMahon (US) 66.42; 4 J Byrne (GB) 66.14; 6 P Vivian (GB) 62.68. Javelin: 1 M Hill (GB) 85.10; 2 E Kaminski (US) 80.36; 3 C MacKenzie (GB) 79.28; 4 M Roberson (corr) (GB) 75.34. 4x100m: 1 GB 39.45; 2 US 40.09. 4x400m relay: 1 US 3:04.48; 2 GB 3:05.23. Match result: Great Britain 199, United States 190.

WOMEN: 100m: 1 W Vereen (US) 11.16; 2 S Echols (US) 11.24; 4 T Neighbors (US) 11.33; 5 P Thomas (GB) 11.51; 6 M Richardson (GB) 11.54; 7 G McLeod (GB) 11.61. 200m: 1 D Young (US) 22.32; 2 F Harris (US) 22.82; 3 C Gaines (GB) 22.87; 4 P Cohen (GB) 23.64; 5 T Goddard (GB) 23.64; 6 S Jacobs (GB) 23.77. 400m: 1 S Gunnell (GB) 51.29; 2 M Malone (US) 52.71; 3 J Stoute (GB) 52.92; 6 S Leigh (GB) 55.18. 800m: 1 M Rainey (US) 2:05.88; 2 L Keough (GB) 2:06.84; 3 N Beasley (US) 2:07.07; 5 J Latimer (GB) 2:08.19; 6 J Jones (GB) 2:08.31. 1500m: 1 Y Murray (GB) 4:08.63; 2 A Wyeth (GB) 4:10.93; 3 A Peters (US) 4:11.70; 5 P Radcliffe (GB) 4:14.53. 3,000m: 1 S McGeorge (GB) 9:20.22; 2 E Johnson (US) 9:20.57; 3 R Taylor (US) 9:24.46; 4 L Wilson (US) 9:24.86; 5 J Spark (GB) 9:24.99; 6 Z Hyde (GB) 9:33.97. 100m hurdles: 1 L Tolbert (US) 12.73; 2 D Bowles (US) 12.74; 3 M Guialdo (US) 13.05; 4 K Maddox (GB) 13.20; 5 S Farquharson (GB) 13.36; 6 C Court (GB) 13.46. 400m hurdles: 1 T Williams (US) 57.20; 2 S Cummings (US) 57.37; 3 K Roberts (US) 57.48; 4 J Parker (GB) 57.67; 5 V Rhodes (GB) 59.34; 6 J Low (GB) 59.90. High jump: 1 T Hughes (US) 1.91; 2 D Marti (GB) 1.91; 3 J Jennings (GB) 1.86; 5 J Bennett (GB) 1.80. Long jump: 1 J Wise (GB) 6.59; 2 Y Idowu (GB) 6.41; 3 S Couch (US) 6.35; 4 D Lewis (GB) 6.18. Triple jump: 1 M Griffith (GB) 13.93; 2 S Hudson (US) 13.59; 3 R Kirby (GB) 13.55; 4 A Hansen (GB) 13.55. Shot: 1 M Augee (GB) 17.68; 2 R Pagel (US) 17.39; 3 S Wadsworth (US) 16.22; 4 M Lynes (GB) 15.97; 6 A Grey (GB) 15.65. Discus: 1 C Garrett (US) 58.46; 2 K Kuehl (US) 57.44; 3 J McKernan (GB) 55.66; 4 D Callaway (GB) 54.38; 6 S Andrews (GB) 53.40. Javelin: 1 D Mayhew (US) 61.46; 2 A Liverton (GB) 56.28; 3 S Gibson (GB) 56.24; 6 C Court (GB) 50.02. 4x100m relay: 1 US 44.69; 2 GB 45.35. 4x400m relay: 1 US 3:30.22; 2 GB 3:41.85. Match result: Great Britain 143, United States 181.