Agency report
24 March 2000 – Pretoria, South Africa - American athletics legend Michael Johnson on Friday lit up the second leg of South Africa's Grand Prix series meeting in Pretoria by running 300 metres in a world best time of 30.85 seconds.
The double-Olympic champion, who already holds the 200m and 400m world marks, was well below the former best of 31.48 seconds set by American Danny Everett and Ruben Hernandez of Cuba in Jerez de la Frontera on September 3 1990.
The 32-year-old said afterwards that he was not surprised by his record-breaking time.
"I got out of the blocks real good. I held back a little in the second 50 metres and over the last 200m I pretty much went all out.
"Although this is not an Olympic distance, I'm still proud that I've broken another world record. I wasn't really surprised with my time. I knew I could go under 31 seconds," he said.
Johnson crossed the line nearly two seconds ahead of Hungary's Zeteny Dombi (32.73s), while South Africa's Louis Malherbe (32.84s) came home in third. American Kevin Braunskill came in fourth in 33.14s.
Johnson started his season in terrific style in South Africa last weekend by running history's fourth-fastest 200m race - 19.71s - at the first leg of the series at Pietersburg.
"I'm quite surprised at my form right now," he said on Friday.His previous personal best time in the 300m sprint was 31.66s, set in 1994.Johnson set the 200m world record of 19.32s at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 400m record of 43.18s in Seville in September.
Another track record was set when the South African 4x100m men's relay team shaved 0.16s off the previous South African record to finish in 38.50s, beating the Australian foursome.
In the men's javelin, world-record holder Jan Zelezny of Czechoslavakia was pleased with a 90.59m throw, his best distance since 1998, but short of his world record 98.48m.
"I feel like a young man again," he said afterwards. "I had shoulder surgery in 1998 - after breaking my collarbone - and no one expected me to come back from that. This has been a great boost.
"My technique was not ideal. There was too much tension. But now that I've thrown over 90 metres, I'm confident of winning the gold medal in Sydney."
In the men's pole vault, American Lawrence Johnson impressed with a 5.90m leap. South African Okkert Brits came second with 5.70m jump.
South African Llewellyn Herbert again claimed victory in the 400m hurdles in 48.35s and compatriot Dikeledi Moropane won the women's 200m in a career-best 23.07s from Australia's Jodi Lambert (23.52s) and Sharon Cripps (23.56s).
In the 400m men's race, Australia's Patrick Dwyer surged to a 44.73s win, ahead of South African champion Hendrik Mokganyetsi (44.85s).
Holland's Patrick van Balkom sprinted the 100m in 10.24s, edging out South African star Matthew Quinn (10.25s).
In the women's 800m, Tina Paulino of Mozambique won in 2min 01.08s, eclipsing Tanzanian Lwiza John (2:01.36) and Uganda's Grace Birungi (2:02.78).
South Africa's Hestrie Cloete equalled her season's best of 1.90m in the high jump this season, beating Russia's Viktoria Slivka who cleared 1.85m.
Another South African, Surita Febbraio, ran her second fastest 400m hurdles with a 55.41s victory over Russia's Yulia Nosova (57.43s).
The final leg of the series will be held in Cape Town next Friday, when Johnson will race the 400m.
