News15 Jul 2004


Iguider maintains Moroccan 1500m tradition alive in Grosseto World Junior Championships

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Abdelati Iguider of Morocco wins 1500m final (© Getty Images)

GrossetoAbdelati Iguider led home five other African athletes over 1500m metres in tonight's IAAF World Championships and immediately vowed to maintain Moroccan domination of the event.

Iguider won a thrilling finish ahead of the Kenyan pair of Benson Esho and Brimin Kipruto in a Championships record time of 3:35.53.

Both he and the Kenyans plus his team-mate Mohammed Moustaoui, bettered the previous best of 3:37.94 achieved by Atoi Boru of Kenya in 1992.

Iguider who stayed off Kipruto early punishing pace, now plans continuing the Moroccan glory trail, started by Said Aouita in the early 1980s and continued by World 1500m and mile record holder Hicham El Guerrouj.

"This is a Moroccan event and I want to keep the world record and Championship titles with us," insisted Iguider a late arrival for the meeting.

Certainly his demolition job of the Kenyan's who clocked 3:35.80 and 3:35.96 in the home straight, showed he has the finshing speed of his illustrious predecessors.

Iguider's victory came on a night when two other Championship records fell in perfect conditions at the Italian venue.
 
Andrei Krauchanka became the first multi-eventer to score over 8000 points in the decathlon, as did runner-up Aleksey Sysoyev in the 10-years history of the Championships.

The Belarusian and Russian over the two days competition, both bettered the Olympic Games qualifying tally of 8126 points and 8047 points.

Germany's Norman Muller scored 7942 points for the bronze medal.

There was a German one-two and Championship record in the javelin. Vivian Zimmer's opening effort of 58.50m won her the gold medal with Annika Suthe producing a final round 57.15m, for silver.

Australia's Annabel Thomson set an Oceania record of 56.01m to finish third and rob Japan's Emika Yoshida who had been in the bronze medal berth from the first round, of a podium place.
 
Gladys Kipkemoi became the Championship's first-ever 3000 metres Steeplechase champion winning in 9:47.26 ahead of the Romanian pair of Ancuta Bobocel (9:49.03) and Catalina Oprea (9:50.04).

Ekaterina Kostetskaya set a World junior leading mark for the year of 55.55 to win the 400m Hurdles.

The Russian winner of last year's European title, outclassed Zuzana Hejnova the Czech Republic runner-up in 57.44 ahead of Sherene Pinnock of Jamaica who was on her heels in a time of 57.54.

"I did not know much about my rivals," said Kostetskaya, who had the quickest time of the finalists, "so I was a bit nervous before the race."

Another World best came in the triple jump from last summer's European champion Anastasiya Taranova who cleared a distance of 13.94m.

The Russian beat off the challenge of China's Xie Limei who had a best of 13.77m with the bronze medal going to the winner's colleague Tatyana Yakovleva who cleared 13.67m.

LaShawn Merritt of the USA lowered his World 400m leader with an easy win in front of Sudan's Nagmeldin Abubakr and Obakeng Ngwigwa from Botswana.

Merritt improved his three-week-old time by 0.13sec to 45.25 with Abubakr in a photofinish running 45.97 - the same as  Ngwigwa who set a national record.

There was also an American success in the women's race, Natasha Hastings winning with a personal best 52.04.

The race for the silver medal was much closer, Jamaica's Sonita Sutherland denying US rival Ashlee Kidd of the award by 0.04 in a time of 52.41.

Michael Mason of Canada won a disappointing  although dramatic high jump, the first five finishers clearing 2.21m.

Mason claimed the gold medal on countback ahead of Germany's Marius Hanniske and Hu Tonf from China.

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