Greene wants to go even faster

BRISBANE, MAY 4. American sprinter Maurice Greene, the fastest man on earth, said he was confident of breaking his own 100-metre World record at this year's Goodwill Games.

Greene and Trinidad's Ato Boldon, the man he beat into second place in last year's Olympics final in Sydney, was speaking to reporters ahead of the invitation-only Games in Brisbane from August 29 to September 9.

Both athletes said the World championships in Edmonton, Canada earlier in August could make fatigue a factor.

``We're going to be exhausted but coming here to run one race in a meet that's going to be just like the World championship is going to be great,'' Greene said.

``We don't have to go through the rounds and our body is not going to be as fatigued as normal and possibly you can get a much better race then.''

Greene set the 100-metre World record of 9.79 seconds in Athens two years ago.

``My goals this year are to go under 9.79 and to defend my World championship titles in the 100m and 200m,'' he said. I do believe a world record will fall this year. It can go at any time.''

Greene said the Goodwill Games was ``just as important as the World championships and the Olympic Games''.

Greene also defended the behaviour of the American 4X100m gold medal-winning relay team, which was criticised for its over- enthusiastic victory celebrations last year in Sydney.

Team member and U.S. captain Jon Drummond issued an apology after the Games for the quartet's performance in their victory lap.

``I have no regrets whatever, I'm going to be myself and that's all I can say,'' Greene said.

``I think people love the way I act. People love the way I communicate with them.''

- Reuters

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