Johnson Bolts to World Record in 100 Meters : Jamaican-Born Canadian Runs 9.83 to Shatter Calvin Smith’s Mark; Lewis Second in 9.93

ROME —  Canada’s Ben Johnson exploded out of the blocks as if he were shot out of a cannon and stunned the track and field world Sunday night in the World Championship meet.

Johnson, a muscular, Jamaican-born sprinter, covered 100 meters in the astounding time of 9.83 seconds to set a world record that had a similar impact to Bob Beamon’s 29-foot 2 1/2-inch long jump in 1968 at Mexico City.

Carl Lewis ran the race of his life to finish second. He was timed in 9.93, equaling the former record set by Calvin Smith in the high altitude of Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1983.

Since fully automatic timing was established in 1977 as a criterion for records, the 100 meters had been previously lowered by only two hundredths of a second.

In an era of hand-timed records, Jim Hines was credited with a time of 9.95 at high altitude at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

It was later recognized as the official record, but it resisted any assault for 15 years until Smith made a small dent in it.

When 100-meter records were hand-timed, the record was lowered by mere one-tenth of a second increments from 10.4 in 1921 to 9.9 in 1968.

For Johnson to break the record by one-tenth of a second with automatic timing is no small achievement.

Moreover, it was established at low altitude without the benefit of thin air. Previously, every existing record from 100 through 400 meters was set at high altitude.

So on a warm evening at Olympic Stadium, Johnson certified himself as one of the best sprinters of all time, certainly the fastest.

With his arms spread wide apart in an unusual starting style, Johnson shot out of the blocks with two quick steps and was clearly in front after the first five meters of the race.

Lewis, who is not recognized as a quick starting sprinter but one who relies on a closing burst, got a good start, but not as exceptional as Johnson’s.

Johnson was in command at 50 meters, and even though Lewis closed a bit he couldn’t make up any appreciable ground on the Canadian.

As he crossed the finish line, Lewis briefly clenched his fists in a gesture of frustration, or annoyance.

Lewis has often contended that Johnson benefits from a flying, or false, start. And he said later that Johnson had an “unbelievable reaction” to the starting gun.

However, at a news conference where Johnson was present, Lewis graciously complimented Johnson and didn’t accuse him of an unfair advantage at the start.

Asked if he thought Johnson got a flying start, Lewis said: “I don’t know. I didn’t see it. I was in the race.”

Johnson was asked the same question and replied succinctly: “I don’t think so.”

Carol Lewis, Carl’s long jumping sister, strongly implied that Johnson beat the gun.

“It wasn’t that he beat Carl out of the blocks. Everyone does that,” she said. “He beat Lee McRae out of the blocks--and badly. That’s hard to do.”

McRae, a sprinter from the University of Pittsburgh, is renowned for his fast starts. But he wasn’t fast enough, finishing seventh.

Raymond Stewart, the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. 100 champion from Texas Christian, was third behind Johnson and Lewis in 10.08. Great Britain’s Lin Christie was fourth in 10.14.

Christie, like Johnson, is Jamaican-born. Stewart represents Jamaica. So it was 1-3-4 for the Jamaicans.

Johnson, 25, who stands close to 6 feet and weighs 165 pounds, was accompanied to the interview room by his mother. He said that she prayed for him.

He has a speech impediment and doesn’t elaborate when questioned.

Nonetheless, he put his accomplishment in perspective when he said: “For someone to beat my record, the first 50 meters will have to be awesome and it will be difficult.”

He also said that his time of 9.83 can be improved upon, adding that if he was at a high altitude site, he could lower the record to 9.75.

Much has been made of the matchup between Johnson and Lewis, one of the classic sprint confrontations reminiscent of such rivalries as Eddie Tolan and Ralph Metcalfe, Hal Davis and Barney Ewell and Mel Patton and Lloyd LaBeach.

Johnson, who moved to Canada in 1976, wasn’t in Lewis’ league until 1985.

When Lewis won the 100 in the inaugural World Championships in 1983 at Helsinki, Finland, Johnson was eliminated in the semifinals.

Johnson has closed in on Lewis, though, beating him in 5 of their last 6 races. Lewis has the overall edge, 9 to 6.

Lewis, who has been bothered by leg injuries in recent years, has been in peak physical condition this season.

He was apparently trying to to apply some psychological pressure to Johnson in the earlier rounds.

Lewis won his opening heat in 10.05, breaking his championship meet record. That was lowered to 10.03 in an earlier semifinal race Sunday night.

Johnson, who said that he was conserving his energy, didn’t run any faster than 10.15 in winning his heat races.

But he has obviously been peaking for this confrontation. He earlier equaled his own low-altitude record with a time of 9.95, and recently recorded a 9.97 at Zurich, Switzerland, while opposing a head wind. The wind was not a factor on a warm night at Olympic Stadium. The wind reading for the 100 final was merely a plus 0.95 meters per second.

“His training was indicative that he could run 9.85,” said Charlie Francis, Johnson’s coach. “We knew there was more to come after his 9.95, and he put everything into one race.”

Johnson has such a fast start that he is virtually unbeatable indoors, where he holds the world 60-meter record.

He got away so fast last March at Indianapolis in the World Indoor Championships, there was a recall gun for a false start.

Automatic timing involves a system linking the starting gun to a photo-timing mechanism. But there was no mechanical evidence that he false-started. The starter simply couldn’t believe that Johnson could accelerate so quickly out of the blocks.

Unlike Lewis, Johnson is committed only to short sprint races. He said he’ll be running some 200 races in the future for training purposes but hasn’t decided whether he’ll become a 200-meter sprinter next year in the Olympic Games at Seoul, South Korea.

Johnson trotted around a curve on the track after crossing the finish line as the scoreboard exclaimed Nuovo record Mondile. Lewis followed him and put a hand on his shoulder. Johnson said he didn’t respond because he didn’t turn around. Later they shook hands.

Lewis was extensively questioned by one reporter as to his relationship with Johnson, intimating that they aren’t the best of friends.

“I don’t think that’s an issue,” Lewis said. “He respects my ability, or he wouldn’t go out and train like he does, and I respect his ability.

“We have to look at the fact that we’re not even near each other. So it’s difficult for us to try to stay close or try to be friends.

“I think the whole friendship thing is blown out of proportion. The true situation is that we’re both athletes. Sometimes the press wants athletes to be great friends or total enemies. But the true fact is that we’re both competitors and want to be No. 1.

“I haven’t heard any mudslinging, so we’re not enemies. I respect him and I don’t dislike him.”

Lewis has the consolation of equaling a U.S. record, but the multi-talented athlete is stalking bigger game--Beamon’s world long jump record that has endured for 19 years.

Asked if his speed, 9.93, will translate into a world long jump record here, Lewis smiled and said:

“I’m in very good shape. My coach (Tom Tellez) is here and I’m ready to do well. I hope it translates well.”

As for the prospect of Johnson lowering the 100 record by a full one-tenth of a second, Lewis said: “If you asked me that question before the race, I would have said no, but now that it’s over, I can believe it. It was just a situation on a fast track, and we ran a good race.

“I’m surprised, but I’m not totally devastated. Anything is possible. He had (an) unbelievable reaction, got out front and that happens.”

And it happened in the Eternal City Sunday night.

100 METERS--WORLD RECORD PROGRESSION

Time Holder Country Date 10.6 Donald Lippincott United States July 6, 1912 10.4 Charles Paddock United States April 23, 1921 10.3 Percy Williams Canada Aug. 9, 1930 10.2 Jesse Owens United States June 20, 1936 10.1 Willie Williams United States Aug. 3, 1956 10.0 Armin Hary West Germany June 21, 1960 9.9 Jim Hines United States June 20, 1968 9.95 Jim Hines United States Oct. 14, 1968 9.93 Calvin Smith United States July 3, 1983 9.83 Ben Johnson Canada Aug. 30, 1987