YOKOHAMA, Japan World champion high jumper Vyacheslav Voronin outclassed some of his leading rivals for Olympic glory when he jumped 2.33 meters to win his event at the Super Meet 2000 on Saturday.
But Atlanta 110 meters hurdles champion Allen Johnson of the United States pulled up with a hamstring injury in his final test before defending his title in Sydney.
Johnson said that he felt a tightness in his hamstring going over the first hurdle and knew that he had to stop after knocking over the third hurdle if he wanted to race in Sydney.
"I just wasn't ready.
I should have stayed home," Johnson said.
He said he was planning to receive as much treatment as possible and hoped to recover in time for the Olympics.
"I have had injuries before but never so close to a major meet," Johnson added.
In the high jump, Russia's Voronin beat American Olympic champion Charles Austin, who cleared 2.31 meters, and Cuban world record holder Javier Sotomayor, who jumped 2.28, in the final athletics meeting before the Sydney Games open on Friday.
Voronin failed on his first two attempts at 2.33 meters but soared over the bar on his third attempt.
Sotomayor, battling injuries after recently being reinstated following a drug suspension, failed three times at 2.33 meters.
"This year I am not aiming for a new world record because I have been away for quite a long time. I hope to aim for a 2.36 meter jump at Sydney," Sotomayor said.
Britain's Jonathan Edwards easily won the triple jump with a mark of 17.32 meters. Fellow Briton Larry Achike was a distant second at 16.56 meters.
"It feels very satisfactory," said Edwards, adding that he was still battling jet lag.
"I feel very content knowing that I will do well in Sydney." (Reuter)