Cram, Christie Win in Last Warmup for Rome

Steve Cram and Linford Christie of Britain both posted impressive victories Saturday at an international track and field meet in London, the final major event before the World Track and Field Championships at Rome.

Cram, who will defend his world 1,500-meter title, won the 1,000-meter event Saturday in 2 minutes 17.15 seconds, outsprinting Australia’s Pat Scammell to win by five meters.

Christie brought the sparse crowd at Crystal Palace Stadium to its feet by winning both the 100 and 200 meters. In the 100, Christie was timed 10.16 seconds. Less than 30 minutes later, he won the 200 in 20.52.

Fatima Whitbread, the former women’s world javelin record-holder, lost for the first time this year and said she may skip the Aug. 29-Sept. 6 meet in Italy, and Greg Foster was defeated in the 110-meter hurdles when he fell in a race for the third time in a week.

Whitbread, who held the record until East Germany’s Petra Felke took it away last month, was badly off form as she threw just 213 feet 1 inch. Olympic champion Tessa Sanderson won the women’s javelin with a throw of 215-8.