The world's fastest man has won his third world championship. The men's hammer throw came down to a duel between a Polish and a Japanese athlete. The women's heptathlon title and the women's shot put gold medals were also awarded.
Maurice Greene of the United States was the man to beat Sunday, after running the fastest time in the semifinals in the men's 100-meters. After three false starts, Greene sped down the track at Commonwealth Stadium to win in :09.82.
Fellow Countryman Tim Montgomery finished second with another American, Bernard Williams, taking the bronze medal. For Greene it is his third world championship - the same as former world and Olympic champion Carl Lewis.
Greene says he hopes that the third title will finally bring him the recognition he believes he deserves. "He was a great competitor and, for me to equal something he has done, maybe that's good for me," said Greene. " Maybe now like I have always said I want to be known as the greatest 100-meters sprinter ever. Right now, I believe that maybe my name will start getting mentioned with Carl Lewis but only time will tell."
In the men's hammer throw, the gold medal went to Szymon Ziolkowski of Poland, with a championship toss of 83 meters, 38 centimeters. Japan's Koji Murofishi took the silver medal and Russia's Ilya Konovalov won the bronze. Yanina Korolchik of Belarus won the women's shot put, with a toss of 20m 61. Germany's Nadine Kleinert-Schmitt won the silver and Ukraine's Vita Pavylsh won the bronze.
The heptathlon gold went to Yelena Prokhorova of Russia. Natalya Sazanovich of Belarus won the silver and Shelia Burrell of the United States won the bronze.