Posted: August 14, 2005

Athletics: Mark Boswell just misses podium at IAAF World Championships in track and field

HELSINKI- Mark Boswell of Brampton, Ont., finished fourth on Sunday in the men’s high jump to highlight Canadian performances on the final day of competition at the IAAF World Championships in track and field.

Yuriy Krymarenko of Ukraine won the gold by clearing 2.32 on his final jump which knocked Boswell, a two-time world championship medallist, from third to fourth. Viktor Moya of Cuba, Yaroslav Rybakov of Russia and Boswell all cleared 2.29 metres but after the tie breaking procedure, Moya and Rybakov both receive silver medals.

"I battled to the last jump," said Boswell, who cleared 2.20 on his first try, 2.25 on his second, 2.29 on his first and missed three times at 2.32. "I had a rough start to the season and ended off on a great note. I am not that disappointed. I tried my best and was sitting in medal contention on my last jump."

Three other Canadians were also in finals.

In the men’s 800, Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain took the gold in 1:44.24, Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia was second in 1:44.52 and William Yiampoy of Kenya third in 1:44.55. Gary Reed of Victoria was eighth in 1:46.20 after posting the third best time in the semifinal with a Canadian record 1:44.33

"To be honest I was pretty exhausted," said Reed. “The semifinal took it out of me. For the most part, in Paris (the 2003 world championships) I went out in round one, in Athens it was the semis, and here in the final. Maybe the next one's a medal."

In the women's 1,500 final, Tatyana Tomashova led Russia to a 1-2 finish clocking 4:00.35. Olga Yegorova was second in 4:01.46 and Bouchra Ghezielle of France third in 4:02.45. Carmen Douma-Hussar of Cambridge, Ont., was 10th in a time of 4:05.08.

"It's disappointing to not be able to kick with them on the last lap," said Douma-Hussar, a silver medallist at the 2003 world indoor championships. "At the same time I can't be disappointed because I did my best. There was nothing else I could do out there. It was just not my day."

In the men's 200 wheelchair event, Toronto's Jeff Adams and Colin Mathieson of Winnipeg finished seventh and eighth in 26.75 and 26.91 respectively. Britain's David Weir won the race in a time of 25.47.

Canadian athletes visited the podium twice at these nine-day championships. Jacques Martin of Sherbrooke, Que., took gold in the men’s wheelchair javelin demonstration event and Tyler Christopher of Chilliwack, B.C., earned the bronze in the men’s 400 with a Canadian record 44.44 seconds.