Burrell Sidesteps Lewis and Johnson to Win at 200 Meters in 20.31 Seconds

Leroy Burrell avoided the Ben Johnson-Carl Lewis showdown and won the 200 meters at the BNP Grand Prix track and field meet on Monday night.

Burrell, the world record-holder in the 100 at 9.90 seconds, took the 200 in a modest time of 20.31. Michael Johnson, the world’s top-rated sprinter at 200 and 400 meters, did some avoiding of his own, choosing to run the longer distance after Burrell was confirmed in the 200.

Michael Johnson easily won the 400, breezing to a 45.09-second clocking over a wet track.

Britain’s Tony Jarret ran the fastest 110 hurdles this year at 13.19 to beat American Jack Pierce.

In the long jump, Mike Powell paced an American sweep with a leap of 26 feet 11 inches. Larry Myricks and Llewellyn Starks finished second and third.

Sergei Bubka of the Soviet Union did not come close in three tries at a world record of 19-11 3/4.