Briton Sets Hurdle Record at Europe Meet

Kriss Akabusi set a British record and posted the second-fastest time in the world this year when he won the men’s 400-meter hurdles today in 47.92 seconds at the European Track and Field Championships.

The 31-year-old Briton’s closest rivals were a pair of Swedes. Sven Nylander took the silver medal with a time of 48.43, while Niklas Wallenlind was third in 48.52.

Briton Tom McKean took the men’s 800 meters in 1 minute, 44.76 seconds, leading a 1-2 British finish. David Sharpe took the silver at 1:45.59. Piotr Piekarski of Poland was third.

McKean’s victory gave Britain its fourth gold medal of the championships, all won by men.

The women’s events were dominated by East Germans, who were making their last appearance before the unification with West Germany.

Sigrun Wodars, the Olympic and world champion, led another East German 1-2 finish today by winning the 800 meters with a time of 1 minute, 55.87 seconds. She edged perennial rival Christine Wachel, who was timed in 1:56.11. The bronze went to Lilia Nurutdinova of the Soviet Union with a time of 1:57.39.

The East German women opened their medal hunt today with Ilke Wyludda winning the gold in the discus with a throw of 224 feet, 7 inches.

Olga Burova of the Soviet Union took the silver at 218-11, while Martina Hellmann of East Germany, the Olympic champion and two-time world champion, had to settle for the bronze with a throw of 218-8.

Katrin Krabbe led an East German sweep of the women’s 100 meters on Tuesday and Heike Drechsler clinched the team’s third gold medal by winning the women’s long jump.

Anna Rita Sidoti of Italy won the women’s 10-kilometer walk today in 44 minutes.