The second day of the World Games at Helsinki on Thursday (29 June) provided several surprises for the experts as record holders and Olympic champions failed to win some of the major events.

SYNOPSIS: The first upset of the day came in the men's 200 metres. Don Quarrie of Jamaica, the Olympic champion was expected to take the title, but he was pushed into second place by James Gilkes of Guyana.

Just nine hundredths of one second separated the first two places, but for Gilkes it was enough.

The pole vault was one event hampered by the gushing wind. Philippe Hovion of France came fourth.

The event was won by Antti Kalli??? of Finland with a fine jump of five and a half metres.

Twenty-four of the world's top athletes took part in the main event of the day, the men's 10,000 metres. A battle-royal between the Finnish Olympic champion Lasse Viren, and henry Rono of Kenya had been predicted but Rono withdrew in favour of a shorter distance event, and Viren failed to find form.

But there was a consolation for the crowd as another home athlete, Martti Vainio led the field for much of the distance, holding off a strong challenge by Craig virgin of the United States.

But in the final laps it was Virgin who came through strongly with Jos hermens of Holland on his heels, to take the title, by just one tenth of a second.

In the 110 metres hurdles, victory went to another Finn, Arto Bryggare who beat Sam Turner of the United States.