Tuesday's event produced a handful of track records but sprinters and long distance runners alike promised world records later in the season.
The European 100-meter record holder, Russian Irina Privalova, was the only two-fold winner. She won the women's 100 meter in 10.90 seconds ahead of compatriot Zhanna Tarnopolskaya and narrowly beat Gwen Torrence of United States in the women's 200 meter in 22.02, grabbing two diamonds worth $10,000 a piece in the process.
The organizers had offered a diamond for each track record. Tarnopolskaya finished in 11.08 and Torrence in 22.04.
"I am so happy about the diamonds," Privalova told a news conference as she flashed one of them. "I am trying to maintain a high level of performance throughout the season instead of peaking my form for a single event."
Privalova also said she would go for a 400-meter record next year as well. She did only one race last year, clocking 49.89, the fourth best time of 1993.
The men's 100-meter Olympic champion, Linford Christie, along with compatriots John Regis, a 200-meter specialist, and Olympic 400-meter hurdles champion Sally Gunnel, failed to show up at the track meet.
Their late cancellations, in which all claimed injuries or sickness, caused an outrage among the organizers. They quickly used an IAAF rule according to which organizers can demand that athletes cancelling too late can be restrained from competing for seven days.
"The IAAF is looking into the entire matter to determine the nature of the dispute," IAAF spokesman Christopher Winner said Wednesday. "Once that examination is complete, the IAAF may or may not have a comment on the matter."
However, it is unlikely the investigation will be complete in time for any ban to be enforced at Friday's TSB grand prix event in London.
Christie is set to face Carl Lewis at the Goodwill Games which begin July 23 in St. Petersburg.
In Tuesday's meet, Algerian 1,500-meter world record holder, Noureddine Morceli, was at world record pace halfway into the race but then slowed down and finished in 3:34.10, well below his world record at 3:28.8, ahead of American Steve Holman in 3:34.95.
"I was planning for a world record but a hip injury, which I suffered earlier in the year, surfaced midway into the race and made me slow down," said Morceli who plans a different season this year.
Dennis Mitchell of the United States won the men's 100 meter ahead of Andre Cason while shaving off 0.14 of a second of the old track record set by Russian Valery Borzov in 1975. Mitchell was clocked 9.97, equalling his personal best of the year. Cason was timed 10.04 and Jon Drummond third in 10.11.
"I was feeling all right today. I ran 9.97 without too much effort and that is a promising sign for the rest of the season," Mitchell said.
Jeff Williams of the United States won the men's 200 meter ahead of Frank Fredericks of Namibia. Williams, who also smashed the track record, was timed 20.19. Fredericks was clocked 20.29.
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