By BERT ROSENTHAL -- Associated Press
BRISBANE, Australia -- Alvin Harrison did something that not even Michael Johnson has accomplished -- he ran the fastest 400-meter time in Australia.
The older of the twin Harrison brothers -- he's two minutes older than Calvin -- was timed in 44.18 seconds Friday night at the Brisbane 2000 International meet at the State Athletic Center.
For the second time in five days, Alvin beat Calvin, but Calvin, who finished second, had the satisfaction of running his fastest time, 44.64.
Alvin's scintillating time stamped him as a strong contender at the Olympic Games to Johnson, the world record-holder at 43.18.
Johnson will make his Australian debut at the games as he tries to become the first Olympian to win consecutive 400-meter gold medals.
Alvin is not lacking for confidence against Johnson, the prohibitive favorite who easily beat Harrison at the U.S. Olympic trials in July.
"Anyone's within reach," the older Harrison said. "I'm not going for the silver. I want to beat Michael.
"I don't think about the other guys. I just run my race. Whenever you're training for the Olympics, you're not training for bronze or silver."
Alvin's time smashed the previous Australian record of 44.47 set by American Michael Franks at the 1985 World Cup in Canberra.
Harrison broke the mark despite a slow start by the entire field. Once he got rolling, he powered around the track and ran down his brother in the final straightaway.
Alvin's career best is 44.09 in finishing fourth at the 1996 Olympics. Calvin's previous best was 44.68 in 1998. At the Sydney Games, Calvin is vying for a spot on the 1,600-meter relay team after finishing fifth in the 400 at the trials.
Calvin said it wasn't important whether he beat his brother.
"Just as long as we finish together," he said.
As usual, his brother agreed.
"It's Calvin and I -- Team Harrison -- against the world," Alvin said. "It's a dream come true, running together like this."
The only two other Americans who competed in the low-key meet -- long jumpers Savante Stringfellow and Melvin Lister -- also finished 1-2. Stringfellow, also the winner at last Sunday's tuneup meet at Nudgee College, posted his second straight victory, soaring 26 feet, 9 1/4 inches.
Lister, who skipped the Sunday meet, went a disappointing 24-11 3/4.
"I was just trying to get in a workout," said Stringfellow, who joined the Harrisons in a victory lap. "Basically, I was trying to get a simulation of the Olympics and this was the qualifying day."
Stringfellow took only three jumps, just like in qualifying, instead of the customary six during a full competition. He fouled on his first two attempts.
"I felt like I ran down the runway faster than I ever had and it's taken me some time to adjust to that," Lister said.
In another significant development, Australia's Emma George, the former world record-holder in the women's pole vault, cleared 14 feet, 3 1/4 inches, before stopping.
George competed against three men in a "Battle of the Sexes."
Warren Evans also vaulted 14-3 1/4, but had more misses than George during the abbreviated competition.
George, who has been jumping below par since a rib injury about six weeks before last year's World Championships, where she finished last, said she was satisfied with her performance Friday night. She also was trying to simulate the Olympic qualifying.
Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, one of Australia's big hopes in the women's sprints, won the 200 at 22.51. Justin Anlezark set an Australian record in winning the men's shot put at 65-2 3/4, and Kerryn McCann broke the Australian record in winning the women's 5,000 at 15:08.69.
The Sierra Leone 400-meter relay team, which paid its own way to Australia in an attempt to go under 40 seconds and earn a spot in the Olympics, failed for the third time, running 40.28.
Brisbane 2000 Results
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- Results Friday from the Brisbane 2000 International meet at QEII stadium (all race distances in meters; only one athlete competed in some events):
Women
100--1, Veronica Campbell, Jamaica, 11.28 seconds. 2, Lauren Hewitt, Australia, 11.53. 3, Sharon Cripps, Australia, 11.61. 4, Elly Hutton, Australia, 11.65. 5, Nabiafa Salifu, Canada, 11.74. 6, Valma Bass, St. Kitts & Nevis, 11.76.
200--1, Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, Australia, 22.51. 2, Cydonie Mothersill, Cayman Islands, 23.03. 3, Valma Bass, St. Kitts & Nevis, 23.66. 4, Candice Jones, Canada, 24.22. 5, Joanne Durant, Barbados, 24.32. 6, Tonie Williams, Bahamas, 24.35.
400--1, Heide Seyerling, South Africa, 51.57. 2, Jana Pittmann, Australia, 51.93. 3, Michelle Burgher, Jamaica, 52.78. 4, Lee Naylor, Australia, 52.99. 5, Celina Clarke, Jamaica, 53.21. 6, Karien Haughton, Canada, 53.48. 7, Melissa Taylor, Barbados, 53.85.
800--1, Toni Hodgkinson, New Zealand, 1 minute, 59.31 seconds. 2, Tamsyn Lewis, Australia, 1:59.56. 3, Margaret Crowley, Australia, 1:59.97. 4, Charmine Howell, Jamaica, 2:00.81. 5, Susan Andrews, Australia, 2:01.52. 6, Georgie Clarke, Australia, 2:01.73. 7, Jolanda Ceplak, Slovenia, 2:02.46. 8, Madrea Hyman, Jamaica, 2:03.06.
5,000--1, Kerryn McCann, 15:08.69. 2, Kate Richardson, Australia, 15:25.31, 3, Anne Cross, Australia, 15:26.65. 4, Samukeliso Moyo, Zimbabwe, 15:44.64. 5, Clair Fernley, Australia, 16:05.37.
100 Hurdles--1, Debbie Edwards, Australia, 13.38. 2, Ima Akpen, Nigeria, 13.96. 3, Georgina Power, Australia, 13.99. 4, Fiona Cullen, Australia, 14.08. Bridgitte Foster, Jamaica, did not finish.
400 Hurdles--1, Stephanie Price, Australia, 56.12. 2, Lauren Poetschka, Australia, 58.03.
400 Relay--1, Australia "A," 43.66. 2, Canada, 43.89. 3, Australia "C," 45.45.
Long Jump--1, Chantal Brunner, New Zealand, 21 feet, 4 inches. 2, Oluchi Elechi, Nigeria, 20-2 1/4. 3, Flora Hyacinth, U.S. Virgin Islands, 19-11. 4, Kathleen Norman, Australia, 18-11 1/4. 5, Elva Gouldbourne, Jamaica, 18-7 1/4.
High Jump--1, Karen Beautie, Jamaica, 6-1 1/4. 2, Petrima Price, Australia, 5-10 3/4.
Discus--1, Lisa-Marie Vizianari, Australia, 208-6. 2, Beatrice Faumuina, New Zealand, 207-10. 3, Alison Lever, Australia, 196-10. 4, Deborah Lovely, Australia, 164-2.
Hammer Throw--1, Michelle Fournier, Canada, 195-7. 2, Caroline Whitrin, Canada, 186-3. 3, Nicole Robertson, Australia, 172-5.
Men
100--1, Kim Collins, St. Kitts & Nevis, 10.21. 2, Matt Shirvington, Australia, 10.30. 3, Matthew Quinn, South Africa, 10.37. 4, Donovan Powell, Jamaica, 10.41. 5, Nick Macrozonaris, Canada, 10,54. 6, Dwight Thomas, Jamaica, 10.55. 7, Kiernan Noonan, Australia, 10.61. 8, Darryl Wohlsen, Australia, 10.63.
200--1, Christopher Williams, Jamaica, 20.71. 2, Dominic Demerrit, Bahamas, 20.87. 3, Piere Brown, Canada, 20.97. 4, Gary Ryan, Ireland, 21.11. 5, Troy McIntosh, Bahamas, 21.31. 6, Christopher Brown, Bahamas, 21.31. 7, Mark Ormrod, Australia, 21.70.
400--1, Alvin Harrison, United States, 44.18. 2, Calvin Harrison, United States, 44.64. 3, Michael Blackwood, Jamaica, 45.35. 4, Casey Vincent, Australia, 45.36. 5, Blair Young, Australia, 45.94. 6, Michael McDonald, Jamaica, 46.45. 7, James Carter, United States, 47.97. 8, Eugene Ferrell, Ireland, 49.08.
800--1, Kris McCarthy, Australia, 1:49.18. 2, Milton Browne, Barbados, 1:49.96. 3, Nick Howarth, Australia, 1:50.22. 4, David Byrne, Australia, 1:50.54. 5, Mark Fountain, Australia, 1:51.56.
3,000--1, Michael Power, Australia, 7:46.22. 2, Craig Mottram, Australia, 7:55.16.
110 Hurdles--1, Adrian Woodley, Canada, 13.84. 2, Victor Houston, Barbados, 13.94. 3, Gabriel Burnett, Barbados, 13.98. 4, Jeff Jackson, U.S. Virgin Islands, 14.03. 5, Stuart Anderson, Australia, 14.45.
400 Relay--1, Jamaica, 39.07. 2, Sierra Leone, 40.28. 3, Puerto Rico, 40.55.
1,600 Relay--1, Jamaica, 3:02.92. 2, Barbados, 3:09.13.
High Jump--1, Keith Elliott, Australia, 6-8 3/4. 2, Dane Ricter, Australia, 6-8 3/4.
Long Jump--1, Savante Stringfellow, United States, 26-9 1/4. 2, Melvin Lister, United States, 24-11 3/4. 3, Udama Udama, Nigeria, 24-21/2. 4, Tim Parravicini, Australia, 23-7 1/4. 5, Richard Marian, Australia, 21-4 3/4.
Shot Put--1, Justin Anlezark, Australia, 65-2 3/4. 2, Plal Saad Mubarek, Qatar, 62-1 1/4. 3, Rhys Jones, Australia, 58-4. 4, Khalid Habash, Qatar, 52-4 3/4.
Discus--1, Fritz Potgeiter, South Africa, 204-9. 2, Aleksander Tammert, Estonia, 202-3. 3, Ian Winchester, New Zeland, 193-3.
Hammer Throw--1, Primos Kozmus, Slovenia, 234-6.
Battle of the Sexes
Mixed Pole Vault--1, Emma George, Australia, 14-3 1/4. 2, Warren Evans, Australia, 14-3 1/4. 3, Matt McEwen, Australia, 13-7 1/4. 4, Natan Baart, Australia, 13-7 1/4.
