Crawford leads U.S. sweep of 200, capping big night for Americans

ATHENS, Greece — Shawn Crawford and two U.S. teammates overcame the first hint of anti-Americanism at the Olympic track, capping a big night for U.S. athletes by sweeping the 200 meters despite a booing, rowdy crowd.

In a race missing disgraced Greek hero and defending Olympic champion Kostas Kenteris, Crawford ran a personal-best 19.79 seconds. That was just good enough to edge Bernard Williams, who tied his personal best of 20.01 seconds for silver. Justin Gatlin, the 100 champion, won bronze in 20.03.

Dwight Phillips earlier led a 1-2 American finish in the men's long jump, with NCAA champion John Moffitt taking the silver. In the first round of the 400-meter relay, Marion Jones ran the second leg as the U.S. team's 41.67 matched its own best time in the world this year.

Olympic Stadium was packed, largely because Greeks thought they would be watching Kenteris, who withdrew from the Athens Games after missing a drug test.

The start of the 200 was delayed for four minutes because hostile spectators were whistling in derision and chanting "Kenteris" and "Hellas, Hellas" — the Greek word for Greece. They booed loudest when the Americans were introduced.

Crawford and Williams were doing a victory lap, draped together in an American flag, when Phillips climbed the victory stand to accept his gold medal. The sprinters stopped on the track as "The Star-Spangled Banner" was played. Williams put his right hand over his heart.

The victory by Crawford, a flamboyant personality who was unusually subdued after the finish, gave controversial coach Trevor Graham a sweep of the men's short sprints.

Crawford and Gatlin are training partners under Graham, who acknowledged on the night of Gatlin's 100-meter victory that he was the coach who sent a syringe of a mystery steroid to anti-doping authorities last year — giving momentum to the drug scandal that has swept the sport.

It was the sixth time the United States has taken all three 200 medals — the previous sweep was led by Carl Lewis in 1984.

Phillips won the long jump with a leap of 28 feet, 2 1/4 inches on his first attempt. Moffitt won silver with a jump of 27-9 1/2. Joan Lino Martinez of Spain took the bronze medal.