Shell
08-25-2003, 11:46 AM
There is something strange to me about seeing such a strong man in tears for so long. I do agree it is an unfair rule however. Next time he better not stop at Taco Bell on his way in! How sensitive were the starting blocks in Paris? "If I so much as pass gas, I false start," Kim Collins told ESPN. "The blocks are very sensitive."
Mon, August 25, 2003
Sprinter takes it lying down
False start protested
By STEPHEN WILSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAINT-DENIS, France -- The world track and field championships was thrown into chaos yesterday when Jon Drummond refused to leave after being disqualified from his 100-metre heat for a false start. The U.S. sprinter who, under new rules being applied for the first time, was automatically ejected for being the second runner in his group to move early, lay on his back on the track for several minutes. While on his back he yelled at race officials who had gathered around him: "I did not move. I did not move. I'm not leaving. This is not fair. I did not move."
After about 15 minutes of confusion, all eight runners were led away from the starting blocks to the warmup area. The runners from the next heat were brought in to run their race.
SOBBING
Later, Drummond was seen sobbing uncontrollably and rolling on the grass. He also jumped into the water in the steeplechase pit at the practice track.
Under old international track rules, each athlete was allowed two false starts.
"We told them this rule was going to do this," said Trinidad & Tobago sprinter Ato Boldon, who was in the same heat with Drummond. "Someone is going to get thrown out and ruin the world championships. That's exactly what they're doing. It's a wrong call."
Jamaica's Dwight Thomas was called for the first false start. Then both Drummond and Jamaican Asafa Powell were called for the second.
Drummond gestured angrily, then flopped on his back in his lane about 20 metres down the track. He got back up and stalked up and down his lane. Then he lay down again, shaking his head.
The remaining six runners in the group returned half an hour later to rerun their heat. But each time they got into their blocks, the spectators at the Stade de France booed and whistled, preventing the race from starting. It took seven attempts and nearly 20 minutes before the heat finally took place.
Boldon, a friend and training partner of Drummond, won in 10.09 seconds. At the finish line, he gestured angrily and stormed off the track.
Montreal's Nicolas Macrozonaris, who eventually qualified third in the same heat in 10.16 seconds, hopes the rules are revisited.
"The new rules don't make sense," he said. "The equipment on the blocks is quite sensitive and they tell you that you did a false start. You really have to be very still. Powell definitely false-started but Jon Drummond is an experienced sprinter and I doubt he would make such a mistake."
The controversy overshadowed Kelli White's gold-medal win in the women's 100 and the upset of Haile Gebrselassie in the 10,000.
White, the U.S. champion, powered to the front midway through the race and pulled away to a commanding win in 10.85 seconds.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Kenenisa Bekele outkicked fellow Ethiopian Gebrselassie -- one of the greatest distance runners in history -- to defeat his mentor.
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20030825/capt.sge.tgs86.250803134058.photo00.default-384x251.jpg
A referee flashes a red card at US sprinter Jon Drummond, who lies down in protest after being disqualified from the heats for the men's 100m quarter-finals during the ninth IAAF World Athletics Championships in Paris.(AFP/File/Richard Martin)
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030824/i/1061745781.2349269099.jpg
U.S. sprinter Jon Drummond (C) is consoled as he weeps while leaving after a marshall disqualified him after two false starts in the quarter final of the men's 100 metres at the 9th World Athletics Championships in the Stade de France at Saint-Denis near Paris August 24, 2003. Drummond staged a protest and then appeared to re-enter the race before the athletes left the arena and the race was postponed. Man at left is undidentified. REUTERS/Jerry Lampen
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030824/i/1061744681.2617712750.jpg
U.S. sprinter Jon Drummond fights back tears after he was disqualified for two false starts in the quarter final of the men's 100 metres at the 9th World Athletics Championships in the Stade de France at Saint-Denis near Paris August 24, 2003. Drummond staged a protest and then appeared to re-enter the race before the athletes left the arena and the race was postponed. REUTERS/Charles Platiau
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030824/capt.1061744273.france_track_worlds_wtf203.jpg
Jon Drummond of the USA reacts after he was disqualified for a false start in the second round of the men's 100-meter event, at the World Athletics Championships, at the Stade de France in Saint Denis, north of Paris, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2003. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
Mon, August 25, 2003
Sprinter takes it lying down
False start protested
By STEPHEN WILSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAINT-DENIS, France -- The world track and field championships was thrown into chaos yesterday when Jon Drummond refused to leave after being disqualified from his 100-metre heat for a false start. The U.S. sprinter who, under new rules being applied for the first time, was automatically ejected for being the second runner in his group to move early, lay on his back on the track for several minutes. While on his back he yelled at race officials who had gathered around him: "I did not move. I did not move. I'm not leaving. This is not fair. I did not move."
After about 15 minutes of confusion, all eight runners were led away from the starting blocks to the warmup area. The runners from the next heat were brought in to run their race.
SOBBING
Later, Drummond was seen sobbing uncontrollably and rolling on the grass. He also jumped into the water in the steeplechase pit at the practice track.
Under old international track rules, each athlete was allowed two false starts.
"We told them this rule was going to do this," said Trinidad & Tobago sprinter Ato Boldon, who was in the same heat with Drummond. "Someone is going to get thrown out and ruin the world championships. That's exactly what they're doing. It's a wrong call."
Jamaica's Dwight Thomas was called for the first false start. Then both Drummond and Jamaican Asafa Powell were called for the second.
Drummond gestured angrily, then flopped on his back in his lane about 20 metres down the track. He got back up and stalked up and down his lane. Then he lay down again, shaking his head.
The remaining six runners in the group returned half an hour later to rerun their heat. But each time they got into their blocks, the spectators at the Stade de France booed and whistled, preventing the race from starting. It took seven attempts and nearly 20 minutes before the heat finally took place.
Boldon, a friend and training partner of Drummond, won in 10.09 seconds. At the finish line, he gestured angrily and stormed off the track.
Montreal's Nicolas Macrozonaris, who eventually qualified third in the same heat in 10.16 seconds, hopes the rules are revisited.
"The new rules don't make sense," he said. "The equipment on the blocks is quite sensitive and they tell you that you did a false start. You really have to be very still. Powell definitely false-started but Jon Drummond is an experienced sprinter and I doubt he would make such a mistake."
The controversy overshadowed Kelli White's gold-medal win in the women's 100 and the upset of Haile Gebrselassie in the 10,000.
White, the U.S. champion, powered to the front midway through the race and pulled away to a commanding win in 10.85 seconds.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Kenenisa Bekele outkicked fellow Ethiopian Gebrselassie -- one of the greatest distance runners in history -- to defeat his mentor.
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20030825/capt.sge.tgs86.250803134058.photo00.default-384x251.jpg
A referee flashes a red card at US sprinter Jon Drummond, who lies down in protest after being disqualified from the heats for the men's 100m quarter-finals during the ninth IAAF World Athletics Championships in Paris.(AFP/File/Richard Martin)
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030824/i/1061745781.2349269099.jpg
U.S. sprinter Jon Drummond (C) is consoled as he weeps while leaving after a marshall disqualified him after two false starts in the quarter final of the men's 100 metres at the 9th World Athletics Championships in the Stade de France at Saint-Denis near Paris August 24, 2003. Drummond staged a protest and then appeared to re-enter the race before the athletes left the arena and the race was postponed. Man at left is undidentified. REUTERS/Jerry Lampen
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030824/i/1061744681.2617712750.jpg
U.S. sprinter Jon Drummond fights back tears after he was disqualified for two false starts in the quarter final of the men's 100 metres at the 9th World Athletics Championships in the Stade de France at Saint-Denis near Paris August 24, 2003. Drummond staged a protest and then appeared to re-enter the race before the athletes left the arena and the race was postponed. REUTERS/Charles Platiau
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030824/capt.1061744273.france_track_worlds_wtf203.jpg
Jon Drummond of the USA reacts after he was disqualified for a false start in the second round of the men's 100-meter event, at the World Athletics Championships, at the Stade de France in Saint Denis, north of Paris, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2003. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)