THE SIDELINES : Kingdom Edges Rival Nehemiah by .02 Seconds in Italian Meet

World record holder Roger Kingdom edged his perennial rival Renaldo Nehemiah by 0.02 seconds today in the 110-meter hurdles in the Rovereto track meet.

Kingdom, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, won with a time of 13.27 seconds. Nehemiah, a former world record holder, was second in 13.29.

British runner Peter Eliott warmed up for the European championships with a clocking of three minutes, 34.12 seconds in winning the 1,500 meters.

Eliott, a silver medal winner at the Seoul Olympics, was 4.66 seconds off the world record of Moroccan Said Aouita as he easily beat Yobes Ondieki of Kenya, who placed second in 3:34.36.

A world-best performance was turned in by Julius Kariuki of Kenya in the 2,000 meters steeplechase.

Kariuki completed the non-Olympic distance in five minutes, 14.43 seconds, improving by 3.89 seconds the previous best mark set by Italy’s Alessandro Lambruschini nearly a year ago.

The world record in steeplechase is recognized only for the 3,000 meters.

American Andre Cason and Robson Da Silva of Brazil won the sprints, which were run without American aces Leroy Burrell and Michael Johnson, who passed up the event.

Cason edged fellow-American Dennis Mitchell in the 100 meters, in 10.42 seconds.

Da Silva won the 200 meters in 20.37, ahead of Joseph Gikono of Kenya who had 20.92.

Andrew Valmon of the United States won the 400-meters in 44.87, easily beating Samson Kitur of Kenya and Howard Burnet of Jamaica.

Americans Michelle Finn and Ester Jones finished 1-2 in the 100 meters in 11.46 and 11.47 seconds, while Meredith Rainey took the 800 meters in 2:00.64.

Brazilian Maria Figueredo won the women’s 400 meters in 50.62 seconds.