Kingdom Injures Hamstring, Clouding His Olympic Future

ST. DENIS, France — Two-time Olympic hurdles champion Roger Kingdom injured his leg in an international meet Thursday, possibly jeopardizing his hopes for a third medal this summer in Barcelona.

Running in cool, windy weather, Kingdom, who missed all last season after a knee operation, strained a right hamstring during a 110-meter hurdles race. The injury will force him to take time off before the U.S. Olympic trials later this month.

Kingdom said he felt the leg cramping over the fifth hurdle when he was battling for the lead. He coasted the rest of the way to finish seventh in the race, which was won by Jack Pierce.

“If it’s just a strain, I might miss two weeks. If it’s a pull, then it could be six weeks to two months,” Kingdom said.

Kingdom, who won the Olympic gold medal in 1984 and 1988, holds the world record in the 110 hurdles at 12.92 seconds.

The first day of hurdles competition at the U.S. Olympic trials is June 26. The top three finishers go to Barcelona.

Also at St. Denis, world record-holder Sergei Bubka went 19 feet 8 1/4 inches to win the pole vault in his outdoor debut this season.

It was the 20th time Bubka has cleared the 6-meter mark. Only one other vaulter, Rodion Gataullin of the Commonwealth of Independent States, has reached that height.

Bubka stopped after his winning jump and did not try to better his world mark of 20 feet.

Maxim Tarasov of the CIS and Frenchman Jean Galfione cleared 19-4 1/4 to finish behind Bubka.

Dennis Mitchell of the United States won the 100 meters in 10.07 seconds. He was the bronze medalist in the 100 at the world championships and was a member of the world record-breaking 400 relay team.

Merlene Ottey of Jamaica won the women’s 100 in a wind-aided 10.97 seconds. It was her first outdoor race of the season. Gwen Torrence of the United States won the 200 in a wind-aided 21.97.