Grenadian ace sprinter Alleyne Francique competes in the men's 400m dash (Photo by Mark Lee)

Francique moves closer to title defence; Richards fade away
Saturday March 11, 2006

MOSCOW, Russia - Grenada's Alleyne Francique move one-step closer to defend his 400m World Indoor crown her in Moscow when he cruised into the finals with a 45.86 seconds semi-final win.

Francique's fellow Caribbean soldier Chris Brown was also in cruise control in heat two, winning that race in solid 46.10 seconds.

Francique, the third fastest runner in the event this season, at 45.80, got home ahead of the inform California Molefe of Botswana, who bettered his seasonal best on Friday with a 45.74 heat run. Molefe was clocked at 46.02 to finish in front of American Milton Campbell, who struggled in the final 15-metres before finishing third, at 46.22.

Brown also proved that he will be amongst the medal challenger by finishing first in the second race ahead of Jamaican veteran and two-time Olympian Davian Clarke, who booked his spot with a modest 46.23 performance.

Russia's Dmitriy Petrov took the last spot in the event when he finished strong to fend off Poland's Marcin Marciniszyn for third. Petrov was timed at 46.44, while Marciniszyn finished in 46.97.

Francique is looking to become the first man since American Antonio McKay to win back-to-back World Indoor titles.

Richards ousted in women's race

When the gun sounds on Sunday for the women's 400m final, American champion and World number one Sanya Richards will be watching from the stands after the event-favourite failed to progress from her semis.

Running in the second of the two semis, Richards, the World silver medallist in Helsinki last summer, faded badly in the last 40-metres and finished fourth in 52.46.

Russian defending silver medallist Olesya Krasnomovets won the heat as the fastest qualifier with a solid 50.61. Bahamian Christine Amertil, the 2003 silver medallist took second in 51.09, while Bulgarian Mariyana Dimitrova copped the final spot with a 52.17 run.

Another Bulgarian, Vania Stamboleva took home race one with a brisk 50.66, edging two-time defending champion Natalya Nazarova of Russia at the line, at 50.67.

Jamaica's Novlene Williams finished strong for third in a seasonal best time of 51.25.

Like Grenadian Francique, Nazarova will look to repeat at an indoor championship.

World-Track Sports Media Team