Nagel makes dashing indoor debut

Morne Nagel, South Africa's fastest sprinter, made an impressive debut in world indoor action in Karlsruhe, Germany on Friday night when he took top honours in the 60m sprint against top-class American sprinters like Greg Saddler, Brian Lewis and Coby Miller.

Nagel won the event in convincing fashion in a fast 6.51 sec, a new South African indoor best.

Nagel, who has an explosive start, first won his heat in 6.59 sec and then simply sprinted away from the field to win his first indoor competition in style. Saddler was second in 6.55 sec with Lewis third in 6.60 sec.

Nagel's achievement was outstanding when it's considered that only five athletes ? all Americans ? ran faster in 2001 when the world indoor title was won by Tim Harden (USA) in 6.44 sec. Maurice Greene, world outdoor champion, equalled his own world indoor record of 6.39 sec in Atlanta last year.

The previous best by a South African was a time of 6.76 sec by Johann Venter in Toronto in 1993.

Johan Botha, former world indoor 800m champion, finished sixth in the 1000m with a time of 2 min 22.22 sec. The race was won by world indoor 800m champion, Russian Yuriy Borzsakovsky, with a time of 2 min 18.78 sec.