Added Starter Beats Top Field In Jenner Classic Hurdle Race

Derek Knight, a late substitute who flew to the meet hours before competing, upset a strong field, including two-time decathlon world champion Dan O’Brien, to win the 110-meter hurdles Saturday at the Bruce Jenner Classic track and field meet.

Michael Johnson won the 200 in the year’s best time, but Jackie Joyner-Kersee was beaten in the women’s 100 hurdles at the meet, a Grand Prix event that nearly was canceled because of a lack of sponsorship.

Knight won the hurdles in 13.42 seconds, barely holding off O’Brien. Knight, whose personal best before this year was 13.71, had run a 13.41 last weekend at the Oregon Classic in Portland.

“I was blessed to get a lane. I think I was really lucky today to win,” said Knight, who found out Monday he would be competing in the Jenner meet and flew to San Jose from Los Angeles on Saturday morning.

O’Brien smashed his personal best by finishing second in 13.47. The former University of Idaho star later placed fourth in the long jump.

“At the seventh hurdle, I took just a little peek to see where everybody else was,” O’Brien said. “If I hadn’t taken that little peek, I might have won the race.”

Knight shocked a field that included top-ranked American Mark Crear, two-time Olympic champion Roger Kingdom, Courtney Hawkins and 1992 Olympic silver medalist Tony Dees.

Kingdom finished third in 13.48.

Johnson won the 200 in a wind-aided 19.99, the fastest time in the world this year under any conditions. Joyner-Kersee was third in the 100 hurdles in 13.30. Doris Williams won in 13.02.