Athletics: McKean strikes gold standard

TOM McKEAN - the strong and certain McKean rather than the blundering alter ego who failed to reach the final in the last Olympics and World Championships - ensured that Britain, or rather Scotland, had their most successful World Indoor Championships in medal terms here yesterday.

Less than 18 hours after his training partner Yvonne Murray had earned Britain's first gold of the championships over 3,000 metres, McKean led the 800m efficiently from start to finish. Unfortunately, his alter ego took over for the medal ceremony. As the flag went up and the National Anthem boomed out, the gold medal position on the podium was empty. McKean was delayed in the lift, having phoned his family from the press box high in the stand.

For both athletes, the titles have restored confidence lost in the years since they won over the same distances at the 1990 European Championships. The Celtic fringes were further rewarded with a silver medal in the 60m hurdles for Colin Jackson, but the Welshman was entitled to feel extremely disappointed after finishing behind his friend and training partner Mark McKoy, who admitted he had had a false start. McKoy gave his home crowd a championship record of 7.41sec; Jackson finished second in 7.43, his best time of the year.

Steve Smith added a bronze medal in the high jump, equalling his British outdoor record of 2.37m, behind Javier Sotomayor, the Cuban Olympic champion, who took the title with 2.41. Five medals - Scotsman David Strang took the 1500m silver on Saturday - is the most Britain have taken from this championship.

Having moved straight into the lead once the lanes broke, as he had done in his two previous rounds, McKean rebuffed the stooping challenge of Jose-Luiz Barbosa as the world outdoor silver medallist from Brazil attempted to brush past him.

Shortly after McKean had led through 400m in 51.89, with Charles Nkazamyampi, the eventual silver medallist from Burundi, on his shoulder, Barbosa was sent staggering out of the race after colliding with Nico Motchebon, of Germany.

The Scotsman was still clear of Nkazamyampi as the field came past the dejected Brazilian for the last lap and held off the expected challenge around the final bend to win in 1min 47.29sec. 'This means a lot to me because I came here under a great deal of pressure to succeed,' McKean said. 'I was in great shape, but I've come to major championships in similar great shape before and failed. This time I did it. It was a lot easier than I thought. I felt that the others settled for second place.'

McKoy was candid about his 60m hurdles performance afterwards. 'I looked at the start two or three times on the replay and it does look as if I got a flier,' he said. 'If I hadn't got that questionable start Colin may well have won it. But I can't run and shoot the gun at the same time.'

Jackson was diplomatic about the performance of his friend and training partner. 'If I had been right next to him I could have told you straight. But he did seem to have a hell of a start and over that distance it's just murder to close the gap.'

This was no repeat of the Olympic final, where the Briton clattered desperately through four hurdles; his technique was smooth throughout. Had the race been five metres longer, he looked as if he would have won - but that will be no consolation to him. Once again he has gone into a major championship as the world's top- ranked hurdler and failed to win.

McKoy's reaction time from the gun, which was not on the original result, was given as 0.053sec, well inside the guideline of 0.100 which should set off a beep inside the starter's headphones. The starter officiating was Ron Bell, from Toronto, who commented: 'We have been starting Mark for 10 years so we know what kind of starter he is.'

The IAAF pointed out that reaction times are 'for information only', citing rule 122.1: 'The starter shall have entire control of the competitors on their marks and shall be the sole judge of any fact connected with the start of a race.' The statement went on: 'The starter of the race did not see any reason to call back the runners as in his opinion the start was good.'

Butch Reynolds won his first major championship title since returning from his disputed two- year drug suspension, recording a championship record of 45.26sec in the 400m. 'This was vindication,' Reynolds said.

Murray's gold, page 31