© Stade de France ®
Macary, Zublena et Regembal
Costantini - Architects
ADAGP - Paris - 2002
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COMPETITION  NEWS |
 EUNICE GETS FRANCE OFF THE MARK
Paris 2003 Saint-Denis
EUNICE GETS FRANCE OFF THE MARK
Eunice Barber won France’s first medal on Day 2 of competition – a silver in the heptathlon. No such luck for Christine Arron, though, who came in a disappointing sixth in the 100 metres.
Heptathlon: No close shave for Barber
With a total of 6755 points, Eunice Barber finished some distance behind Carolina Kluft, who at the age of 20 became only the third heptathlete to break the mythical 7,000 point barrier. The Swede set no less than six personal bests (100 metres hurdles, high jump, javelin, shot put, 200 metres and 800 metres) on her way to a gold-winning total of 7,001 points. Belarussia’s Natalia Sazanovich, with 6524 points, picked up bronze.
Women’s 100 metres: Chagrin for Arron
Home hopes were dashed when Christine Arron could only clock 11.06 for sixth place. With Olympic champion Marion Jones not running, her fellow Americans stepped up and filled the void. Kelli White took gold in 10.85, the fastest time in the world this year and surprise package Torri Edwards (10.93) grabbed silver from Lane 1. Edmonton world champion Zhanna Block from the Ukraine took bronze in 10.99.
10,000 metres: Bekele usurps Gebreselassie
Olympic champion Haile Gebreselassie gave it everything in a valiant attempt to hold off the challenge of 21-year-old pretender to his throne Kenenisa Bekele. It was to no avail though, as Bekele kicked clear down the home straight to take gold in 26:49.57. All smiles, the great "Gebre" was visibly content with silver nonetheless (26:50.77). A third Ethiopian, Sileshi Sihine, came in third and Ethiopia had a first-ever clean sweep of the medals in the discipline.
400 metres: French pair make history
Marc Raquil and Leslie Djhone qualified for the final of the 400 metres – the first time two French athletes have made it through to the ultimate showdown. Raquil won his semi in a time of 44.88, just 8/100ths outside the French national record. Djhone was second in his semi, clocking 45.03 behind American Tyree Washington. Another U.S. athlete, Jerome Young set the fastest time of the heats in 44.70.
Women’s 20 kilometre walk: Evergreen Nikolayeva walks off with gold
At the ripe old age of 37, Russia’s Yelena Nikolayeva walked clear of the field to win in 1:26.52. The Olympic 10 kilometre champion of Atlanta 1996 dominated throughout and won by 42 seconds from Ireland’s Gillian O'Sullivan (1:27:34). Belarussian Valentina Tsybulskaya won bronze in 1:28.10. Everything might have been very different though, if favourite and reigning world champion Olimpiada Ivanova from Russia had not retired hurt early on.
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