Showing his strength from the start, Matt Sandford (AUS) won the 1999 Highland Games World Championships today in Pleasanton, California. Defending champion Ryan Vierra (USA) was second, and Petur Gundmundsson (ICE) was third. Sandford's victory included a dominating performance in yesterday's 56-pound weight for height event, where he threw 18 feet. Both yesterday and today he had close misses at a world record height of 18 feet 6 inches.