OLYMPIC champion Donovan Bailey bounced back from a defeat at the richest meeting in athletics in mid week Zurich with a commanding victory over some of the world's best sprinters in the Cologne Grand Prix last night.

Bailey produced the same kind of strong finish which took him to a world record of 9.84 seconds at the Atlanta Games to win the 100 metres in 10.03 seconds despite damp conditions.

American Dennis Mitchell, who had beaten Bailey at Zurich's lucrative meeting on Wednesday, could not live with the Canadian in the final 20 metres and took second in 10.07.

Namibia's Olympic silver medallist Frankie Fredericks was third with 10.14. Trinidad's Atlanta bronze medallist Ato Boldon could only finish fifth in 10.19 behind fourth placed Canadian Bruny Surin (10.16).

Mitchell, sporting his usual bright green outfit, started brilliantly and was ahead of Bailey at halfway. But the towering Canadian turned on the power in the last 50 metres to get back to winning ways.

Jamaican Michael Green who finished seventh in the Olympic final, pulled up in severe pain in the last 20 metres with what appeared to be a leg muscle strain. He fell over the line and timed 11.93.

As world and Olympic sprint champion, Bailey can command a huge appearance fee at meetings around Europe. In Zurich, for example, he was likely to have picked up at least 570,000 for just putting on his spikes. After last night's race Bailey joked about the cash.

"How much would I as a meet director pay the winner of a race like this. Believe me, a lot. Because you had both the Olympic winner and world record holder in the field.

I was very happy with my start and my pick up. At the end of the race I was just trying to run relaxed."

In the women's 100m, Jamaican veteran Merlene Ottey got the best of American Olympic champion Gail Devers for the second time in three days.

Devers just pipped Ottey at the Olympics in the tightest of photo finishes. But the Jamaican beat Devers in Zurich and produced another strong performance in the German city to win in 10.98 seconds.

American Gwen Torrence, who was third in Atlanta took second in 10.99 with Devers third in 11.12.

American Olympic 400m hurdles champion Derrick Adkins had to settle for second place behind Zambia's Atlanta silver medallist Samuel Matete. Adkins was not able to live with Matete's late burst down the home straight and the Zambian won in 48.02 seconds with Adkins second ink 48.12.

Deon Hemmings, the women's Olympic champion in the discipline won her race comfortably, however, in 53.67 seconds ahead of American Kim Batten, the silver medallist in Atlanta. Batten blocked 54.17 in second.

Russia's double Olympic champion Svetlana Masterkova, who broke the women's mile world record in Zurich, cruised to another victory in the 1,500m in four minutes, 04.54 seconds.

Germany's former Olympic high jump champion Heike Henkel bowed out of international athletics with a disappointing performance and tears in her eyes.

Competing in her last major event, the blonde haired athlete did not survive long in the competition, clearing 1.85 metres but failing three times at 1.90.

But the Cologne crowd gave the 1992 Barcelona Olympic champion, who lives in the Rhineside city, a standing ovation when she did a lap of the track after dropping out of the competition.

Those were the nicest moments of my career but at the same time the saddest," Henkel said. Many thanks to Cologne. What is my future? That's simple family, career and a bit of high jumping."

Henkel (32), one of Germany's most popular athletes, has struggled to return to top form since giving birth to her first child at the start of 1994. She failed to qualify for the recent Atlanta Olympics and has decided she does not have the competitive edge to continue at top level.

The women's 5,000m was won by Romania's Gabriela Szabo, silver medallist in the 1,500m at Atlanta, in 14:44.42. Ireland's Catherina McKiernan put in a creditable performance, coming home seventh in a time of 14:49.40.

Kenyan Daniel Komen, who has produced two outstanding performances over 3,000m and 5,000m in the last week, could only manage third place in the 1.500m.

Komen, who became the second fastest 5,000m runner of all time in Zurich, clocked 3:34.17 behind El Guerrouj. But the talented 20 year old is expected to make world record attempts over his stronger events the 3,000m and 5,000m, at more lucrative meetings in Brussels and in the next forthnight.

Marcus O Sullivan finished in sixth spot in 3:35.20.