Burrell Makes His Mark In The 100 -- Sprinter Edges Training Partner Lewis In 9.90 For World Record

NEW YORK - Leroy Burrell, who has been overshadowed by Carl Lewis, outdid his training partner and friend on yesterday, racing to a world record time of 9.90 seconds in the men's 100 meters.

Burrell's brilliant performance, which broke Lewis' record of 9.92, came in the U.S. national championships at Downing Stadium.

After Burrell had broken the record and beaten Lewis, the runner-up, the two warmly praised each other.

"I'm just overwhelmed by what happened today," said Burrell, 24.

"He's my training partner, teaching me how to be a better athlete and competitor."

Lewis had held the record since the 1988 Olympic Games, when he was awarded the mark after first-place finisher Ben Johnson of Canada, who clocked 9.79, was disqualified for testing positive for steroids. Johnson's gold medal and world record also were stripped.

"I want to congratulate Leroy," Lewis said. "He's a great champion, he's a clean champion."

It was the first world outdoor record set in New York since 1961, when Frank Budd broke the 100-yard mark with a time of 9.2.

The victory was Burrell's third over Lewis in their past four meetings, including the 1990 Goodwill Games, after Lewis had won their first five races.

Burrell's previous best time was 9.94, in winning the 1989 national championship.

The wind this time was 1.9 meters per second, just under the allowable 2.0.

Despite the loss of the record and the race, Lewis was satisfied, because his time of 9.93 was his fastest since the Olympics.

"A lot of people thought Carl Lewis was old and gone," said the 29-year-old, two-time Olympic gold medalist said. "We're just a start away from a world record."

He was not happy with his start, however.

"I didn't do what I had to do out of the blocks," Lewis said. "I had a terrible start. I won't say this was my worst start in major competition, but it was just terrible.

Lewis began closing at 50 meters and almost caught Burrell, finishing perhaps a foot behind.

"I didn't know you were near me until the finish," Burrell told Lewis afterward.

"I wasn't," Lewis said.

Of the two performances, Tom Tellez, who coaches both sprinters, seemed to appreciate Lewis' more.

"Leroy was great from start to finish, but Carl's finish was almost unbelievable," he said. "No one else could have come back from that far behind."

Said Burrell: "Everything went well from the start. I reacted to the gun very well, drove out of the blocks powerfully and accelerated unlike ever before.

"Ever since I ran 9.94, I felt it was a matter of time that it would happen. When your lifelong dream and lifelong work culminates itself, you don't know what to think.

"This is the party of all parties and you don't know if you can improve on it."

To complete the party, Burrell easily qualified for today's 200-meter semifinals, winning his preliminary heat in 20.41.

Don't turn out the lights yet. Burrell and Lewis said they are not in peak condition at this time of the year and predicted better times before the World Championships in Tokyo in late August.

"This is just the beginning of a great summer," Lewis said. ------------------------------------------------------------ THE 100 CLUB -- Leroy Burrell yesterday became the ninth U.S. sprinter since 1912 to set the 100-meter world record. The progression of the record, as recognized by the IAAF:

Time Sprinter/Nation Date

10.6 Donald Lippincott, U.S. July 6, 1912

10.4 Charles Paddock, U.S. April 23, 1921.

10.3 Percy Williams, Canada Aug. 9, 1930.

10.2 Jesse Owens, U.S. June 20, 1936.

10.1 Willie Williams, U.S. Aug. 3, 1956.

10.0 Armin Hary, West Germany June 21, 1960.

9.9 Jim Hines, U.S. June 20, 1968.

9.95 Jim Hines, U.S. Oct. 14, 1968.

9.93 Calvin Smith, U.S. July 3, 1983.

9.92 Carl Lewis, U.S. Sept. 24, 1988.

9.90 Leroy Burrell, U.S. June 14, 1991.

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