Ten Years Ago Today: Konstantinos Kenteris Captured the 200m Gold Medal at 2000 Sydney Olympic Games

It was ten years ago today Konstantinos Kenteris of Greece won the men’s 200m at Sydney Olympics. He clocked a time of 20.09s, beaten Darren Campbell (20.14) on the silver position. Ato Boldon, who won silver in 100m earlier, came third in 20.20s.

Kenteris was a 400m runner before switched to 200m during the outdoor season in 1999. At the 1999 World Championship in Seville, he had beaten Maurice Greene (who later became the world champion) in the R1 of 200m but withdrew the quarter finals due to injury.

During the 2000 Olympics, most people surprised when he managed to get a slot of the 200m final. Not like Maurice Greene who won the 100m final earlier, came to Sydney with an overwhelming prospect.

Early in the year, I had predicted the top three on the Olympics podium for 200m would be Michael Johnson, Maurice Greene and Frank Fredericks.

However, both American didn’t proceed due to hamstring injuries en route the 200m final at the U.S Olympics trials. About two weeks before the Olympics, Fredericks pulled out himself due to (ankle?) injury.

In the absence of the three  monsters, John Capel and Ato Boldon were the ones to watch. After the prelim rounds, QFs and SFs, John Capel seems to have a big chance to win, besides Ato Boldon was already run seven times (4 in 100m and 3 in 200m) and rather tired.

NOTE: The men’s 200m SF and Final were held at the same session, which was two hours interval not ONE DAY interval like today’s system. The men’s long jump final also held at the same time, Carl Lewis would get angry with the sort of schedule!

In the final, the field seems very close to each until the 150m mark where all of a sudden Kenteris took the lead and eventually leaving the field to emerge the Olympic champion.

John Capel, who won the U.S Olympic trails (19.85), unfortunately stumbled out of the blocks and finished eighth.

After the Olympics, Kenteris went to win two other major meets, the 2001 World Championship (20.03) and the 2002 European championship (19.85).

Video of 200m Final (Sydney Olympics and Edmonton World Championship)


Men's 200m Final
1, Konstantinos Kenteris, GRE, 20.09. 2, Darren Campbell, GBR, 20.14 3, Ato Boldon, TRI, 20.20. 4, Obadele Thompson, BAR, 20.20. 5, Christian Malcolm, GBR, 20.23. 6, Claudinei Silva, BRA, 20.28. 7, Coby Miller, USA, 20.35. 8, John Capel Jr, USA, 20.49.

SF 1: 1,John Capel Jr, USA, 20.10. 2, Christian Malcolm, GBR, 20.19. 3, Ato Boldon, TRI 20.20. 4, Obadele Thompson, BAR, 20.21. 5, Christopher Williams, JAM, 20.47. 6, Stephane Buckland, MRI, 20.56. 7, Francis Obikwelu, POR, 20.71. 8, Tommi Hartonen, FIN, 20.88.

SF 2: 1, Konstantinos Kenteris, GRE, 20.20. 2, Darren Campbell, GBR, 20.23. 3, Claudinei Silva, BRA, 20.30. 4, Coby Miller, USA, 20.45. 5, Kim Collins, SKN, 20.57. 6, Floyd Heard, USA, 20.63. 7, Koji Ito, JAP, 20.67. 8, Shingo Suetsugu, JAP, 20.69.