Abuja, Nigeria – On the fourth day of competition at the 8th All-Africa Games a thrilling women’s 10,000m final contested by the East African distance running super powers of Ethiopia and Kenya made the headlines. 

The 2003 All-Africa Games can take the credit for converting Nigeria track fans, who hitherto snubbed middle and long distance races, to disciplines on the track with a longer shelf life than the sprints. Instrumental in this conversion have been the performances in Abuja of the East Africa runners, especially the Kenyans and Ethiopians who have been setting the national stadium alight with their athletic talent. 

Yesterday's women’s 10,000m, despite having only six competitors was a case in point, as thanks to the cool evening breeze conditions were ideal for running in what was essentially a Ethiopia versus Kenya national match.

The Kenyan duo of Leah Malot (30:57.70 PB) and Irene Kwambai were the early pace setters. They were soon joined by Ethopia’s Eyerusalem Kuma, with Nigeria’s Christianna Augustine following close behind.

The star names of the Ethiopian squad, Ejigayehu Dibaba, 20,  third at the 2002 African Championships 5000m and 9th at Paris World Championships over 10,000m, and Werknesh Kidane, 21, the reigning World Cross Country Champion and the World 10,000m silver medallist from Paris, followed the leading group.

Augustine gave the spectators something to cheer about when having overtaken the Kenyan duo she set the pace for a couple of laps before she was assailed by Dibaba, Kidane and Kuma.

Augustine who with a personal best of just 34:05.04 was not in the class of the East Africans, bravely tried to keep pace with them until she collapsed with 12 laps to go, and was stretched off the track by paramedics. From then it was Ethiopia all the way until Malot overtook Kuma.

However, with four laps to go it was clear that the race for gold was going to be between Dibaba and Kidane. At the bell, Dibaba began her sprint for home and as much as Kidane fought it was her younger compatriot who kept the advantage to the line.

Dibaba crossed first in a moderate time of 32:43.54, with Kidane taking the silver (32:37.35). The 31 year-old Malot prevented a Ethiopian clean sweep as had happened in the men’s 10,000m, by taking the bronze (32:56.43), so repeating her performance at the last African Games in Johannesburg (1999).

An elated Dibaba said after the race - "I am very happy to win here, as at the World Championships in Paris I was ninth. I am happy I won, but beating Kidane is not a big deal, because we are not competitors, but sisters. After this my ambition is to participate in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and win the gold medal"

World Championship silver medallist Kidane said - “sport is full of ups and downs, sometimes you win the gold, another time the silver, sometime nothing at all. But this competition was between sisters. The number of athletes that competed today is too small, only six, in major championships we have many athletes on the field, if we had had more athletes here the time would have been better."

Of the other highlights on the fourth day of competition, there was a new Games Long Jump record of 8.30m by Ghana’s Ignisious Gaish, who was fourth in Paris. The old record of 8.23 had been set by Nigeria’s Paul Emordi at the Nairobi'87.

Senegal’s 20 year-old Ndiss Kaba Badji won the silver medal with a new personal best of 7.92. South Africa’s Khotso Mokoena took the bronze with 7.83.

Nigeria’s 24 year-old Osita Okeagu won the 400m Hurdles in 50.25, a new personal best. Victor Okorie also of Nigeria took the silver medal (50.36), and Senegal’s 33 year-old Ibou Faye (50.89) was third.

South Africa Estle Viljoen won the women’s 20km Race Walk in 1:44.29. Egypt Marwa Ahmad took the women’s Hammer’s throw title.

The Abuja stadium will be jam packed today (Wednesday 15 October) with thousands of fans who yesterday cheered Frank Fredericks home in his 200m semi-final. Despite the presence of local boy Emedolu Uchenna in the final, they are likely to cheer the Namibian just as hard in the final, such is Fredericks' stature in annals of African sport.

Nigeria’s Mary Onyali is favoured to win the women’s 200m, a title she also won in 1987 and 1995, so completing a sprint double at these Abuja Games.