Fredericks Runs 100 In Just 9.87 Seconds, Beating World Champ

Frankie Fredericks of Namibia beat world champ Donovan Bailey of Canada in winning the 100 meters in 9.87 seconds - .02 seconds off the world record.

Frederick’s time was the year’s best, and the third of all time, behind Leroy Burrell’s 9.85 and Carl Lewis’ 9.86. Britain’s Olympic champion, Linford Christie, also has run 9.87.

Fredericks, who starred at Brigham Young University, was aided by a wind of 1.9 meters per second - just less than the allowable of 2.0 for world-record purposes - during a chilly night.

Bailey also was beaten by Britain’s Darren Braithwaite, who ran 10.13. Bailey was third in 10.15.

Britain’s Jonathan Edwards, the world record-holder in the triple jump, also had the year’s top result. After three weeks of nursing a sore heel, the world champion jumped 58 feet, 5 inches.