Victorious Connor just off his record
The Edmonton Journal Saturday, August 11, 2007
Calgarian Earle Connor concluded
his season in sharp fashion Friday
as he neared his world-record time
to win the men's 100-metre sprint
for one-legged amputees at the Bayer
International track and field competition
in Leverkusen, Germany.
Connor clocked 12.18 seconds in the
rain, just off his world record of
12.14 seconds set in 2003, the same
year in which he received the prestigious
Laureus World Sports Award as one
of the top athletes in the world.
John McFall of Britain was second
in 12.70 and Jean-Baptiste Alaize
of France third in 12.85.
"I don't think I was ever so
well prepared for a race," said
Connor, 31, who lost his left leg
below the knee at three months after
he was born without a fibula. "I
felt everything was in place to go
for the world record. This was the
seventh race in nine this season
that I've competed in the rain. So
I knew I could go fast. But I think
the elements did impact my final
time. Still, I'm extremely pleased."
Connor has never lost a 100-metre
race in his 10-year national team
career.
Other season highlights for Connor
were victories at the IWAS World
Cup in Germany, the Golden League
event in Paris and the national championships
in Windsor, Ont.
Next season, Connor is aiming for
a gold medal at the Beijing Paralympics
and looking to break the 12-second
barrier.
"It's giving me shivers," he
said Friday. "I think next year
is going to be a pretty powerful,
special year."
© The
Calgary Herald 2007
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