The Men's 5000m race report
The days of seeing a magnificent string of Kenyans going sub 13min for 5000m has been replaced by the brilliance of the emerging Ethiopian athletes, led by the extreme talent of Kenenisa Bekele.
Bekele placed himself into the 'Realms of the Legends' earlier this year when he won the World XCountry Championships for his 3rd Double of titles. And when the man steps onto the track, the World expects. Bekele had a go at establishing a new World Record [WR] and came within 3 seconds of of surpassing his own record with a winning time of
12:59.03.
The record was lost between 3 and 4km, after blitzing through 3000m in a staggering time of
7:32. After having his fellow countryman clip his heels, Bekele accelerated to a sub 60 second 400m, this could have been his undoing. The Jos Hermens ' stabled athlete attempted to get back on track over the last 2 laps but was not able to muster enough speed to get back on record pace.
With Bekele followed home by the first of 7 Ethiopians coming in below 13:04. The young
Abebe Dinkesa showed suitable talent for the future with his 2nd place finish of
12:55.58, after dogging KB over the first 3 kilometers. Hidden amongst the sub 13 minute runners was another Bekele sibling in
a 12:59.03 PB.
Helsinki awaits [ results ]
The Women's 1500m race report
For the past 2 years the Women's 1500m has produced a surprise winner. Not this year, an old hand appeared on the winning podium in the form of
Olga
Yegorova. The Russian's winning time was
4:01.85, her acceleration in the final straight spelled danger for her competitors later in the season.
France's fiesty Dehiba Hind was rewarded with a PB in 2nd place in a time of 4:03.05. It was great to see an athlete with the will to run. She was up with the pace throughout but was no challenge when Yegorova changed gears and strode off to victory. Galloping in behind the front 2 was host of athletes for around the world with 3 below 4:05. Canada's Carmen Douma Hussar once amongst the first 5 with a time of 4:04.35, which augers well for her August preparation.
Rome next week, will we see a different winner? [ results ]
The Women's 800m race report
How the mighty have fallen. 2003 saw Maria Mutola win the overall series and the 'Pot of Gold' that went with it. Injury in 2004 led to her losing her crown as 'Queen of the Two Lap'. Now in 2005, we wonder if this spells the end of this great athletes reign?
Svetlana Cherkasova of Russia, stole a march on the rest of the field by being the only athlete even remotely interested in going after the pace. Though not on the shoulder of the 'rabbitt', she was always at the head of the field and when she accelerated with 200m to go she skipped clear with ease. Maintaining the tempo around the final turn and down the finishing straight. A no pressure win, while Mutola moved into third without the convincing strength of the previous years.
The winner's times was 1:57.52 ahead of the solid performance of Cuba's Zulia Calatayud in 1:58.37 with de Lurdes Mutola timed at 1:58.96
A 1.5 second deficit can be made up over the coming months, as long as the desire still flows through the veins of the African champion. Your guess is as good as mine. [ results ]
The Men's 1500m race report
Daniel Kipchirchir Komen continues the kenyan tradition of fine 1500m athletes, when he won closely followed by America's newest acquisition, Bernard Legat. His time of 3:30.01 is a WL and came agonisingly close to breaking the 3:30 barrier. lagat was close by with a time of 3:30.64 and we can expect the ex-kenyan athlete to improve upon the USA record before the end of the season.
France’s silver medallist from the Paris Worlds, Mehdi Baala, was 3rd in a SB time of 3:30.80
In 6th spot with 3:32.38 was new Zealand's rising star, Nick Willis. This time broke John Walkers National Record [NR] which had stood from 197. The Kiwi athlete had only recently turned professional after years in the US Collegiate system and his NR follows on the heels of his Tuesday Grand Prix II victory [ results ]
The Men's 3000m SteepleChase report
2004 Olympic Steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi once again bounded to victory over the hurdles, followed by fellow Kenyan athletes in 2nd and 3rd.
The winning time was 8:09.14 closely followed by Wesley Kiprotich in 8:09.46 and
Kipkirui Misoi in 8:10.02
Sweden's Mohamed Mustafa continued to impress by placing 7th amongst the crop of the World's steeplechasers with a time of 8:15.51 in 8th place. sub 8 before the WC? [ results ]
A fine night's set of athletic performances. See all the Middle to Distance Results and images
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