Johnson Is Anything but Golden in Finishing Fifth in 200 Meters

Michael Johnson did not run like an Olympic champion or a world-record holder in the 200 meters Sunday. Instead he struggled to a fifth-place finish in the 200 against journeymen competition at the Crystal Palace athletics meet in London.

Johnson, who successfully defended his world title for 400 meters Aug. 5, suffered his third defeat of the year. The first came in a head-to-head match race over 150 meters against Donovan Bailey. The other loss came over 400 meters at Paris in June, when he also finished fifth.

Against opponents who would struggle to make an Olympic or world semifinal, Johnson was slow out of the blocks. When he rounded the bend, he led only two runners.

Though finished strong, Johnson ran too slow to win. Doug Turner won in 20.73, followed by two other British runners--Marcus Adam (20.74) and Julian Golding (20.80). Sergei Insakov of Latvia finished fourth at 20.85.

Johnson, who set the world record of 19.32 at the 1996 Olympics, ran 20.87, and left quickly without comment afterward.

“He looked to me that his heart just wasn’t in it,” Turner said of Johnson. “I think he was just running for the money and to keep the people happy.”