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05-17-2006, 09:27 AM
MONTE CARLO, Monaco -- Justin Gatlin equaled but did not break the 100-meter world record at the Qatar Grand Prix last week, the sport's governing body said Wednesday.
http://espn-att.starwave.com/photo/2006/0512/oly_a_gatlin_275.jpg
AP Photo/Abdul Basit
Justin Gatlin, left, crossed the finish line first in record time.
The International Association of Athletics Federations said a timing error in Doha gave Gatlin a time of 9.76 seconds, which was one-hundredth of a second below Asafa Powell's world mark of 9.77.
The IAAF said Gatlin's time was actually 9.766 seconds, and should have been manually rounded up to 9.77.
The time has been adjusted to 9.77 and, pending ratification, will equal the record set by Powell on June 14, 2005, in Athens, Greece, the IAAF said.
The 24-year-old American sprinter received wide acclaim after been credited with breaking the record Friday -- giving him the unofficial title of the world's fastest human. He is also the reigning Olympic and world champion in the 100.
The IAAF said it acted after being informed of the error by Tissot Timing.
"The IAAF rounding rule, to be initiated manually on the timing system, had not been activated as instructed," Tissot said in a statement from its Swiss headquarters. "Tissot Timing regrets the occurrence and apologizes for this unique incident."
The IAAF uses times recorded to one-hundredth of a second, with figures always rounded up.
"We're very disappointed for Justin but we think he's got all the talent to get the record again soon," IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said. "It's better to have an honest result."
Davies said it's believed to be the first time a world record has been taken away days later because of a timing adjustment.
The IAAF learned of the error Monday after Tissot reviewed the times. Under IAAF procedures, formal ratification of a world record can take months. Meet organizers have to submit the officials results, photo finish, doping control forms and other data to the IAAF for checking.
"If Tissot hadn't announced it, we would have caught it eventually," Davies said.
Gatlin and Powell are scheduled to face each other for the first time this year at the Gateshead meet in England on June 11.
When Powell set the record last year, he bettered the mark of 9.79 set by Maurice Greene in Athens in June 1999. Tim Montgomery's mark of 9.78, set in Paris in 2002, was wiped off the books when he was suspended for two years based on information uncovered in the BALCO doping scandal.
Gatlin's previous best was the 9.85 he ran in winning the gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics. His time was 9.88 when he won the world title last year in Helsinki, Finland.
He also won the world 200 title.
http://espn-att.starwave.com/photo/2006/0512/oly_a_gatlin_275.jpg
AP Photo/Abdul Basit
Justin Gatlin, left, crossed the finish line first in record time.
The International Association of Athletics Federations said a timing error in Doha gave Gatlin a time of 9.76 seconds, which was one-hundredth of a second below Asafa Powell's world mark of 9.77.
The IAAF said Gatlin's time was actually 9.766 seconds, and should have been manually rounded up to 9.77.
The time has been adjusted to 9.77 and, pending ratification, will equal the record set by Powell on June 14, 2005, in Athens, Greece, the IAAF said.
The 24-year-old American sprinter received wide acclaim after been credited with breaking the record Friday -- giving him the unofficial title of the world's fastest human. He is also the reigning Olympic and world champion in the 100.
The IAAF said it acted after being informed of the error by Tissot Timing.
"The IAAF rounding rule, to be initiated manually on the timing system, had not been activated as instructed," Tissot said in a statement from its Swiss headquarters. "Tissot Timing regrets the occurrence and apologizes for this unique incident."
The IAAF uses times recorded to one-hundredth of a second, with figures always rounded up.
"We're very disappointed for Justin but we think he's got all the talent to get the record again soon," IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said. "It's better to have an honest result."
Davies said it's believed to be the first time a world record has been taken away days later because of a timing adjustment.
The IAAF learned of the error Monday after Tissot reviewed the times. Under IAAF procedures, formal ratification of a world record can take months. Meet organizers have to submit the officials results, photo finish, doping control forms and other data to the IAAF for checking.
"If Tissot hadn't announced it, we would have caught it eventually," Davies said.
Gatlin and Powell are scheduled to face each other for the first time this year at the Gateshead meet in England on June 11.
When Powell set the record last year, he bettered the mark of 9.79 set by Maurice Greene in Athens in June 1999. Tim Montgomery's mark of 9.78, set in Paris in 2002, was wiped off the books when he was suspended for two years based on information uncovered in the BALCO doping scandal.
Gatlin's previous best was the 9.85 he ran in winning the gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics. His time was 9.88 when he won the world title last year in Helsinki, Finland.
He also won the world 200 title.