Jones-anchored U.S. quartet wins in record time

PHILADELPHIA, APRIL 30. Marion Jones anchored a U.S. quartet assembled at the last minute to a world record of 1 minute 27.46 seconds in the women's 4x200 metres relay at the Penn relays athletics meeting here on Saturday.

Jones, who returned to competition earlier this month for the first time since injuring her back at the World chamionships last year, again showed she is on course for achieving her goal of five gold medals in Sydney.

The time clocked by Latasha Jenkins, Latasha Colander- Richardson, Nanceen Perry and Jones improved on the mark of 2:18.15 set in 1980 by an East German team.Men's sprint stars Maurice Greene and Michael Johnson gave the crowd of more than 45,000 what they came to see in the men's 4x100m and 4x400m relays, as the U.S. squads finished one- two in all four of the races specially organised to showcase American Talent vs the Rest Of The World.

Greene, who holds the 100m world record of 9.79s, anchored the U.S Red squad, which also included Jon Drummond, Tim Harden and Tim Montgomery, to victory in the 4x100m in 38.22s. The U.S. Blue team of Curtis Johnson, Ken Brokenburr, Bryan Howard and Roshann Griffin was second in 38.36, and Jamaicans Chris Duncan, Patrick Jarrett, Raymond Stewart and Chris Williams third in 38.96.

Johnson, winner of the 200m and 400m gold at the Atlanta Olympics, anchored teammates Angelo Taylor, Antonio Pettigrew and Tyree Washington as they won the 4x400m relay in 2:56.60.

Suziann Reid, Michelle Collins, Kim Graham and Jearl Miles-Clark claimed the women's 4x400m for the United States with a time of 3:25.96.

- AFP

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