Another Year, Another Record for Morceli

Year by year, the records keep falling for Noureddine Morceli.

The Algerian set his fourth world record Monday, winning the 2,000 meters at the Paris Gaz de France Grand track meet in 4 minutes, 47.88 seconds. He broke the mark of 4:50.81 set by Said Aouita of Morocco in 1987.

“I know I had the world record in my legs,” Morceli said. “Last week I did 3:32 for 1,500 in St. Petersburg [Russia] in very bad weather conditions.”

He fell after crossing the finish line and was surrounded by Algerian fans waving national flags as he took his victory lap.

Morceli now has the world records in the 1,500 (3:28.82 in 1992), mile (3:44.30 in 1993) and 3,000 (7:25.11 in 1994) in addition to the 2,000.

“I respect them all,” he said. “Only one person can be a world champion or record holder in any event and it takes a lot of work to be one. It is something not done in one or two years. It is the work over 10 to 15 years.”

In the 100 meters, Linford Christie beat Carl Lewis easily for the fourth consecutive time. Christie was timed in 10.06 seconds. Davidson Ezinwa of Nigeria was second in 10.08 with world 200 champion Frankie Fredericks of Namibia third, 10.12.

Lewis was fifth in 10.25 behind another American, Jon Drummond, fourth in 10.25.

“I didn’t do well out of the blocks,” Lewis said. “I just came overseas and I will do better in my next races.”

Lewis has a 12-5 edge over Christie but most of his victories came in the 1980s. Christie now has the Olympic and world titles Lewis once held.

“I wasn’t concerned with my time. I just ran to win,” Christie said. “I thought it was OK but it is up to my coach to tell me if I did anything wrong later.”

Lewis, 34, has been slowly declining. He failed to qualify for the American team in the 100 by coming in sixth in the national trials. He has run a wind-aided 9.94 this season, although coming in third in the Texas Relays.

Sergei Bubka of Ukraine won the pole vault at 19 feet 4 1/4 and world long jump record-holder Mike Powell lost to Ivan Pedroso of Cuba.

Pedroso and Powell both had jumps of 27-11 1/2 but the Cuban won with the better second jump of 27-5 1/2 compared with Powell’s 27-2 3/4.

Michael Johnson, the 200 and 400 American champion, won the 200 meters in 19.92.

In the 2,000, Morceli’s brother Ali set the pace of 57.06 for the first 400 meters and led through the 800 in 1:57.06. American Terrence Herrington took over and helped Morceli to a 1,000 mark of 2:26.15.

“When I saw the 2:26 I thought it was a little bit slow,” Noureddine Morceli said. “So I decided to pick up the pace.”

Morceli ran alone for the last 600 and passed the 1,500 in 3:36.89 and the mile in approximately 3:54. His last 400 was 55.0.

Morceli, 25, didn’t rule out more world records, although he was taking a practical approach.

“I am still young,” he said. “I have a lot of time.”

Colin Jackson, Christie’s British teammate and a world champion and record-holder, was third in 13.28 in the 110 hurdles. American Mark Crear won in 13.08. Another American, Allen Jackson, was second in the same time.

Haile Gebreselasie of Ethiopia failed in his attempt to recapture his 5,000-meter world record. He was clocked in 13:07.81. Moses Kiptaniui of Kenya did 12:55.30 last month to break the Ethiopian’s mark of last year.