Again, US men, Russian women, set the pace

There have been some exhilarating performances throughout these IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Osaka, and it has been gratifying to see athletes from smaller nations, such as Nelson Evora from Portugal, via Cape Verde, and Bahamian Donald Thomas, who has been high jumping all of 18 months, winning golds. But one of the broader themes has been a reversal to a former status quo. Political upheavals have all sorts of consequences. The fall of the Berlin Wall over 15 years ago signalled the decline of a large section of East European sport, not least in Russia, the powerhouse of the former Soviet Union.

Time was when the surrogate battles of Cold War between the USA and the USSR were fought out in the world’s stadia, particularly the Olympic Games, and then, from 1983, these World Championships. It has taken close to two decades for Russia to get its house in order, and the old order in athletics looks as if it being restored. In short, we are back to a situation where the major forces are again, with a few notable exceptions, the US men and the Russian women.

The strength of US athletics teams has always been in the sprints, and after a decade and a half when male sprinters of Caribbean provenance – Linford Christie of the UK, Donovan Bailey of Canada, and Kim Collins of St Kitts & Nevis won the 100 metres gold started to get some ascendancy, a severe stop has been put to the movement. It was no more evident than in the 100 metres, when Asafa Powell of Jamaica – who has run a world record 9.77 no fewer that three times – could only finish third. Winner Tyson Gay has, of course gone on the win the 200 metres, with Wallace Spearmon third, and Uncle Sam’s sprint relay squad won gold.

To rub it in, Jeremy Wariner led a US triple header in the 400 metres. When invited to give reasons for this success, Wariner cited the hothouse experience of US college and post-college competition. “We race the best in the world at home at the start of the summer, then we come on the circuit, we’re ready for anything,” said Wariner. In his case, it was the third fastest time in history, 43.45, and the strong possibility that he can now challenge his coach and mentor, Michael Johnson’s World record of 43.18, set in Seville ’97.

Except for Veronica Campbell, who got up on the line to win the women’s 100, and the extraordinary surprise of Brits, Christine Ohuruogu and Nicola Sanders winning gold and silver in the 400, it was a similar story with the US sprinters. Campbell was followed home by three Americans in the 100, Allyson Felix ‘killed’ the field in the 200, and The Supremes, ie the relay squad also took gold.

On the other side of the arena, the Russians also dominated. In three events alone – Long Jump, Pole Vault and 3000m Steeplechase, Russian women took seven of the nine medals, with world record pole vaulter, Yelena Isinbayeva proving yet again as impervious to defeat as Tyson Gay is becoming. Lebedeva added triple silver to Long Jump gold, and there were additional silvers in the discus and the ‘quarter’ hurdles. But there were also a few blips. The much favoured 800m trio from Russia came unstuck in a major fashion when subjected to one of THE performances of the championships, Janeth Jepkosgei’s superlative two-lap run from the front.

But to pick up a point from earlier this week, it is the steeplechase, a relatively new event for women, where Russian won gold and silver, that some intriguing questions will be asked in the future. Winner, Yekaterina Volkova said that, such is the strength and depth of competition in Russia that she’s not even sure that she’ll be selected for the event for Beijing 2008.

The presumed return of Helsinki champion, Dorcus Inzikuru of Uganda will pose another sort of problem. But eventually it has to be the Kenyan women, two of whom finished third and fourth here, who threaten to sweep the Russian women aside. Given the way the Kenyan men have dominated the steeplechase over he last 30 years - and they again took all three medals here - it is hard to believe that the women from the Great Rift Valley will not soon be overtaking everyone, including the Russians, who will be left to rely more and more on the technical events.