Rome, July 12: Chandra Sturrup and Maria Mutola kept their Golden League winning streaks and US$1 million jackpot hopes alive, while Maurice Greene had his hopes of a fifth straight victory in Rome snapped Friday. The Bahamian sprinter Sturrup captured the 100 meters at the Golden Gala in a year-best time of 10.89 seconds, while U.S. champion Kelli White finished runner-up for the third straight week in the Golden League, where winners of the same event in each meet share a lucrative prize.

Rome is the third of six meets in the prestigious series. ``I know that now the jackpot is not just a dream,'' Sturrup said. ``I think if I start thinking about it I'll lose focus.'' Mozambique's Mutola executed the tactics in her 800-meter race perfectly, looking back at Slovakian challenger Jolanda Ceplak after passing her about 20 meters before the finish. Mutola won in a meet-record 1:57.21.

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``I'm just pleased with this run,'' Mutola said. ``It's going to be tougher from now on.''

Former world-record holder Greene, who had declared Thursday that he would run under 10 seconds, finished a disappointing third in 10.09. Fellow American John Capel, back running after two years as a wide receiver for the University of Florida football team, won in 10.04, leading an all-American sweep of the first three places.

``The start didn't go as I planned,'' Greene said. ``In the end I felt like I was coming on strong but (Capel) just ran a great race today.''

Capel pronounced himself ``back'' after his football hiatus. ``The feeling to beat Maurice Greene and Bernard Williams is enormous,'' he said. ``It feels like the two-year rest didn't hurt me that much. I've never been good at 100 meters, so you can't ask for much more than that.

``I wanted to get out with Bernard because he's a great starter. As long as I got out strong, I could beat Bernard in the middle. I'm a 200-meter guy, I know once I stand up I've got it.''

Top British sprinter Dwain Chambers came in fourth in the 100. In the most thrilling race of the evening, Kenya's Abraham Chebii captured the 5,000 meters in 12:57.14, outsprinting rising Ethiopian star Kenenisa Bekele in the final 100 meters while world-record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia looked on from third position.

As soon as the pacemakers retired after 3,000 meters, the race was between the three Africans. Bekele led, with his protege in pursuit and Chebii slightly further back. As the trio rounded the final turn, the 30-year-old Gebrselassie offered an abbreviated shake of his head as if to say he couldn't keep up and the 23-year-old Chebii and 21-year-old Bekele headed for the line in a two-man duel. Bureau Report