Montgomery out
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A spectator watching Tim Montgomery slowly try to escape from a pack of reporters wasn’t at all impressed with the world’s fastest man.
“That’s Tim,” he said, turning to a friend. “I don’t want to follow no loser.”
Montgomery failed to qualify for the Athens Games in the 100 meters Sunday, saving the U.S. Olympic Committee from having to kick him off the team if he is found guilty of using steroids.
His exit came a day after his girlfriend, Marion Jones, also failed to qualify for the Olympics in the 100. But while Jones still can make the U.S. team in the 200 and the long jump, Montgomery is out of chances.
Montgomery finished seventh in a U.S. track and field trials final won by reigning Olympic champion Maurice Greene in 9.91 seconds. Justin Gatlin was second in 9.92 and Shawn Crawford took the third Olympic spot in 9.93. Montgomery’s time was 10.13.
With Montgomery out of the Olympics, the USOC avoids the possible embarrassment of having to remove him from the U.S. squad before the games if an international panel of arbitrators finds he used performance-enhancing drugs.
The world record holder in the 100 has been charged by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. His case now is before the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport. No date has yet been set for a hearing.
After finishing far behind Greene, Montgomery stared at the giant scoreboard in what appeared to be disbelief. He kept looking at the scoreboard even as he walked off the track.
“This is the reason I didn’t win: I’ve got y’all on my back,” Montgomery said as he was trying to get past a pack of reporters outside the stadium. “I have to deal with y’all every day.”
A woman yelled, “Tim, you’re the greatest.” He responded, “Thank you, I’m going to show you.”
When a reporter asked how he would show that, Montgomery responded, “This ain’t my last race, man.”
Montgomery is one of four sprinters charged by USADA with steroid use. If found guilty, they face lifetime bans. Another member of that group, Chryste Gaines, failed to qualify in the women’s 100. Alvin Harrison, another of those four, made it through the first round of the 400 Sunday.
Jones, a three-time Olympic champion, is under investigation by USADA but has not been charged. Jones also lashed out at reporters after her failure to qualify in the 100 Saturday night.
Greene, a three-time world champion, has been back in top form this season after two years of injury and poor results. He also lost his world record to Montgomery during those two years but could get it back if Montgomery is found guilty of doping.
“Greatest of all time, what can I say?” said Greene, who stuck his tongue out and pumped his right fist twice after crossing the finish line.
In other events Sunday in 96-degree heat, Tiombe Hurd — who is legally blind — broke the U.S. record in the women’s triple jump with a winning leap of 47 feet, 5 inches. The old record of 47-3 1/2 was set by Shelia Hudson in 1996.
Tim Mack won the men’s pole vault, but failed in three attempts to break the U.S. record of 19-9 1/2 . He will be joined in Athens by Toby Stevenson and Derek Miles. Defending Olympic champion Nick Hysong finished fifth and failed to qualify.
Kim Kreiner won the women’s javelin. Dwight Phillips won the men’s long jump. Sheena Johnson won the women’s 400 hurdles and James Carter won the men’s 400 hurdles, with defending Olympic champion Angelo Taylor second.