Meanwhile, speed merchants Ato Boldon, Frankie Fredericks and Obadele Thompson warmed up for what could be a memorable race on Thursday.

With humidity in the 80s, a race below 28 minutes was just not on but Maina did give it a go. With hardly anyone to challenge him from the ninth lap, Maina won by more than 50 seconds as his team-mate William Kalya and Australian Steve Moneghetti, the defending marathon champion, finished second and third respectively.

Maina clocked 28:10.00s, while Kalya finished 29:01.68 just ahead of the veteran 35-year-old Moneghetti, who took the bronze in 29:02.76.

In the only other final today, Deborah Sosimenko threw the chained iron ball to 66.56 metres on the third attempt, four metres adrift of the 62.66m by silver medallist Lorraine Shaw of England. Canada's Caroline Wittrin took the bronze with apersonal best of 61.67 metres. The women's hammer, which made its debut here, will also figure in next year's World Championships in Seville and the 2000 Olympics Sydney, when the Games come to Sosimenko's hometown, where she teaches mathematics in a school.

In the men's 100m heats and the second round, which were more sought after than even the finals, Boldon impressed most with 10.05 seconds, while Thompson clocked 10.09 to win his heat. Fredericks was slow off the blocks but cruised through in the last 40m to clock 10.15 seconds.

But one young man screaming for attention is 19-year-old Australian sprinter Matt Shirvington. He clocked 10.13s while making a bid to become the first white sprinter to come under 10 seconds.

In the women's 100 metres, which has paled in comparison to the men's event, Bahamas' Chandra Sturrup clocked a fast 11.14 seconds, while Canada's Philomena Mensah dominated her heat in 11.20 seconds and Ghana's Vida Nsiah won in 11.34. The men's 400m saw Welsman Iwan Thomas, Europeanchampion, qualify as the fastest in 45.26 seconds. Asian champion Sugath Tillekeratne clocked 46.66 seconds.

Results: Women's hammer: 1. Deborah Sosimenko (Australia) 66.56; 2. Lorraine Shaw (England) 62.66; 3. Caroline Wittrin (Canada) 61.67.

Men: 10,000 metres: 1. Simon Maina (Kenya) 28 minutes 10.00 seconds; 2. Kalya William (Kenya) 29:01.68; 3. Stephen Moneghetti (Australia) 29:02.76.