Quirot, Johnson Dazzle Crowd As World Championships End

The pressure was on Ana Quirot. There was none on Michael Johnson.

Both performed sensationally Sunday on the final day of the World Championships.

Quirot, the remarkable 32-year-old Cuban who 2-1/2 years ago was near death after suffering third-degree burns on nearly 40 percent of her body, capped her incredible comeback by winning the women’s 800 meters.

She finished in 1 minute, 56.11 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year.

“In my worst moments, I never thought that I could come so strongly,” Quirot said. “This is the most beautiful victory of my life.”

Johnson, having already won an unprecedented double in the men’s 200 and 400 meters, each in near-record time, completed the championships by anchoring the U.S. 1,600-meter relay team to a 25-meter victory in 2:57.32.

He was the only competitor to collect three gold medals in the nine-day championships at Ullevi Stadium.

“One athlete in particular (Carl Lewis) complained it wasn’t a good championships and it was boring,” Johnson said. “This was my third World Championships, and it was one of the best I’ve been to.

“It was a great week. I’ll never forget it.”

The United States also swept both women’s relays, taking the 400 in 42.12 - best in the world this year - as Gwen Torrence outdueled Jamaican rival Merlene Ottey on the anchor leg, and winning the 1,600 in 3:22.39.

In the men’s 1,600 relay, Johnson was given a 15-meter lead after Marlon Ramsey, Derek Mills and 400-meter world record-holder Butch Reynolds had run the first three legs.

Appearing a little tired but still running strongly, Johnson powered through a 44.12 leg.

In the women’s 400 relay, Torrence, the 100-meter champion, got the baton one meter in front of Ottey, who got the 200-meter gold when Torrence was disqualified for running out of her lane.

Torrence, while pressured by Ottey early, held on to win by nearly two meters.

Preceding Torrence on the relay were Celena Mondie-Milner, Carlette Guidry and Chryste Gaines.

Ottey’s silver medal was her 13th overall in the championships, including three golds, four silvers and six bronzes.

In the women’s 1,600 relay, the U.S. team of Kim Graham, Rochelle Stevens, Camara Jones and Jearl Miles finished 1-1/2 seconds ahead of runner-up Russia.

The three U.S. relay victories Sunday overcame the embarrassment of the men’s 400 team, which mishandled the baton in Saturday’s first round and did not finish the race.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: THE FINAL DAY Winners - Ana Quirot of Cuba won the 800 meters. She was severely burned in January 1993 when a kerosene stove exploded in her house. She returned to running late last year. Noureddine Morceli of Algeria won the 1,500 meters for the third time in a row with a final 400 of 51.2 seconds. Donovan Bailey and Bruny Surin, 1-2 in the 100, paced Canada to a victory in the 400 relay. The American women’s 400 and 1,600 relay teams won. Ismael Kirui of Kenya defended his men’s 5,000 meters title and Jan Zelezny his men’s javelin title. Stefka Kostadinova of Bulgaria won the high jump at 2.01, seven months after giving birth to a son.