"Superman" Sanchez seeks 400 double at Athens

Saturday, February 28, 2004

BOSTON, USA (AFP): Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic, the world's top 400m hurdler, will attempt a 400m sprint and hurdles double at the Athens Olympics but wants a change in the Games schedule, his agent told AFP here Friday.

"Felix wants to do both. But we need to have the 400 hurdle first," agent Tony Campbell said. "It's better to have the hurdles first because it's more difficult. No one ever tried this double. It makes a big story."

Campbell, here for this weekend's United States Indoor Championships, said the double is unlikely if the current programme is maintained, but that he has spoken with world governing body IAAF president Lamine Diack about the matter.

"I've talked to Diack at the Grand Prix finals in Monaco asking to have the hurdles first and flat second so then Felix would try the double," Campbell said. "They did it for Michael Johnson."

Campbell said Sanchez tried the double in London in 2002 when he had only two hours rest between the two races.

Sanchez plans to open his season May 1 with a 400m run in the Dominican Republic. The double world champion hopes to make his hurdles debut in June at Ostrava.

"He started training in November," Campbell said. "Right now he's 25 to 30 percent better than same period last year."

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