Moses Wins, Nehemiah Falls on a Rain-Soaked Track

Edwin Moses splashed through the puddles for another victory Sunday, while Renaldo Nehemiah wound up sprawling on the rain-sodden track at the Pearl Assurance Invitation track and field meet.

Moses beat his mainly British rivals by more than a second as he posted a modest 48.84 seconds for the 400-meter hurdles.

Nehemiah, who like Moses, is the world record-holder for his event, ended face down on the track after hitting the seventh and eighth hurdles in the 110-meter hurdles, a race won in 13.32 by countryman Tonie Campbell.

The wind-battered and rain-swept event also featured victories for Britons Steve Cram, Linford Christie and Allan Wells and New Zealand veteran John Walker.

World record-holder Fatima Whitbread maintained her dominance over Olympic champion Tessa Sanderson in an all-British clash in the women’s javelin.

Nehemiah, after being responsible for one of the two false starts, trailed Campbell by a meter at the halfway mark and completely lost his stride.

After weaving into the neighboring lanes, Nehemiah hit two consecutive hurdles and plunged head first into the next. He got up uninjured.

By contrast, Wells’ comeback was a spectacular success after a season of inactivity caused by an ankle injury.

After Christie had won the British Sprinter Trophy against an all-domestic field in 10.36, the 35-year-old former Olympic champion held off countryman Lincoln Asquith and Americans Mel Lattany and Dwayne Evans to win in 10.38.

Cram brushed past fellow Englishman Peter Elliott in the last 50 meters to win the 1,000 meters in 2 minutes 17.35 seconds, while Walker, who has run more than 100 sub four-minute miles, added to his list by clocking 3:58.75 as he won the Emsley Carr Mile.

Whitbread, unbeaten in 11 previous javelin competitions this season, appeared in danger of her first defeat after a series of fouls. Meanwhile, Sanderson, who has been concentrating on the heptathlon, had thrown her season’s best, 216 feet 10 inches.

The world record-holder also found herself behind the 203-10 of Australia’s Sue Howland, but then produced a throw of 228 feet to win.