Kingdom Wins Gold in Hurdles at World Meet

Two-time Olympic champion Roger Kingdom of the United States surged ahead on the last hurdle to win the 60-meter hurdles race and clinch the first gold medal at the World Indoor Track and Field Championships today.

In the women’s 60-meter dash, five-time European champion Nelli Cooman of the Netherlands beat Gwen Torrence of the United States for the gold medal.

Second-Best for American

Kingdom posted a time of 7.43 seconds, the second-fastest ever by an American. Only Greg Foster’s world-record time of 7.36 is faster.

In the semifinal just over an hour before the medal race, Kingdom had already lowered his personal best by clocking 7.50.

His new personal record is the fourth-fastest on the all-time list and an indoor championship record.

Colin Jackson of Britain, the European record-holder at 7.41 and silver medalist in the 110-meter hurdles behind Kingdom at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, again had to settle for second. His time was 7.45.

Jackson had a flying start and led early in the race. But Kingdom caught up at the last hurdle and as Jackson hit the hurdle hard, the American pulled ahead with a final surge.

Igor Kazanov of the Soviet Union took the bronze medal in 7.59.

Tonie Campbell of the United States, the bronze medalist in Seoul and the defending world indoor champion, faded in the final and finished last.