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August 25, 2004 7:16 pm

Dorival qualifies for 110-hurdles semifinals

By ELLIOTT DENMAN

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece - Dudley Dorival is in Thursday's 110-meter high hurdles semifinals. Fellow Mercer County, N.J., resident Todd Matthews Jouda won't be joining him.

Dorival, a Ewing, N.J., high school and University of Connecticut graduate who runs for Haiti, had the ninth best time in Wednesday night's second round. Matthews Jouda, of Lawrence Township, N.J., Clemson University and Sudan, was last in his heat.

Dorival is competing in his second Olympics after placing seventh at Sydney in 2000. Matthews Jouda is a first-time Olympian.

They were placed in the same heat for a second consecutive day. Dorival got off to an outstanding start and breezed home a close second to Brazil's Mateus Innocencio in 13.39 seconds, the same time he ran in Tuesday's first round of qualifying.

``I'm just trying to get my race together,'' said Dorival, 28. ``I haven't run a race in a while, so I'm excited to be in the semis.

``I'm feeling good. I'm going to cool down right now and I'll be OK.''

Matthews Jouda, 25, set a Sudan national record of 13.47 on Tuesday but struggled to a 13.77 on Wednesday.

``My hip flexor hurt me, and I felt it again today,'' said Matthews Jouda. ``It's a little strain right now, but I'll be OK.

``The Olympics, my first one, has been just great, but my season's not over yet. This has been a good learning experience for me. I'm still young. I've seen all these people on TV, and here I'm running against them.

``This is heaven for me.''

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