updated 7:54 p.m. ET Sept. 19, 2004

MONTE CARLO, Monaco - Ana Guevara won the 400-meter race at the World Athletics Final on Sunday, ending Olympic champion Tonique Williams-Darling’s unbeaten streak and avenging a loss at the Athens Games.

Williams-Darling had not lost a race, or even a heat, since March and was going for an 11th straight race victory. But Guevara, the world champion and runner-up to the Bahamas star in Athens, won in 50.30 seconds. Williams-Darling could not match the Mexican’s early pace, fell away in the stretch and finished sixth, more than a second back.

“It was a bit windy,” Guevera said. “So I had to take it easy and only pushed hard in the final 50 meters.”

Guevara was timed in 50.13, followed by Americans Monique Hennagan (50.20) and DeeDee Trotter (50.60).

“I won’t be unhappy just because one race didn’t turn out well,” Williams-Darling said. “The race was not too much for me physically, but mentally, yes. Next year I’ll be fresh again.”

On the meet’s last day at Stade Louis II, Asafa Powell of Jamaica followed Saturday’s win in the 100 by dominating the 200, ahead of Frankie Fredericks of Namibia and Stephane Buckland of Mauritius. Powell won in 20.06, with Fredericks at 20.31 and Buckland at 20.41. Francis Obikwelu, the Olympic silver medalist, placed fourth.

“This year I didn’t train specifically for the 200 meters,” Powell said. “My priority remains the 100.”

Veronica Campbell ensured more success for Jamaica, taking the 100 in 10.91. Countrywoman Aleen Bailey was next in 11.16, followed by American Lauryn Williams in 11.21. Williams was the Olympic silver medalist in the 100.

Qatar’s Saaeed Saif Shaheen easily won the 3,000 steeplechase in 7:56.94. Known as Stephen Cherono when he ran for Kenya, he is unbeaten in almost two years, although he did not compete in Athens. Trailing him were Kenyans Ezekiel Kemboi (8:02.98) and Paul Kipsiele Koech (8:03.21).

Olympic champion Joanna Hayes won the 100 hurdles, beating American countrywoman Jenny Adams by 0.10 seconds. Hayes finished in 12.58, Adams in 12.68, with Jamaica’s Lacena Golding-Clarke third in 12.69.

In the women’s 800, Olympic silver medalist Hasna Benhassi of Morocco won in 2 minutes, 1.42 seconds. American Jearl Miles Clark placed second 0.31 seconds behind, with Morocco’s Amina Ait Hammou third in 2:01.78. Holmes, who won the 1,500 Saturday, did not race.

Bershawn Jackson won the men’s 400 hurdles, holding off countryman James Carter. Jackson set a personal best of 47.86. Carter clocked 48.06 and Jamaica’s Kemel Thompson was third in the same time.

Ivan Heshko edged Kenya’s Alex Kipchirchir to win the 1,500 meters. The Ukrainian was timed in 3:44.92, with Kipchirchir just behind in 3:44.95. Kenya’s Laban Rotich was third in 3:45.38.

In the long jump, Ignisious Gaisah of Ghana beat American Dwight Phillips. Gaisah won with a leap of 27 feet, 3¾ inches, overtaking Phillips’ mark of 27-1¼. American John Moffitt, an Athens silver medalist, took third at 26-5.

Sweden’s Stefan Holm won the high jump at 7-7¾. Russia’s Yaroslav Rybakov and Canada’s Mark Boswell were next at 7-6½ and Olympic silver medalist Matt Hemingway of the United States was sixth at 7-3¾.

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