Antonio Reina in action Munich 2002 (© Allsport)
21 August 2002San Sebastián, SpainAntonio Reina set a new National record to highlight the 2nd ‘Gran Premio Reebok- Ciudad de San Sebastián’ (AEA Meeting). Before a few hundred spectators Reina faced a world class field, which included Kenya’s Wilfred Bungei and William Yiampoi along with Portugal’s Rui Silva who recently took bronze in the 1500 at the Europeans. The Kenyan couple had clocked sub 1.44 times in the Zurich Golden League meeting, but the young Spaniard was determined to forget his disappointment in Munich when he could not reach the final.
Reina had the benefit of brisk pace making by Kenya’s Francis Marwa, who raced through 400 in 49.80, some 5 metres clear of fellow countryman Nicholas Wachira. Reina took over, accelerating along the back straight to reach 600m in 1.17.20, with Bungei, who won silver at last year’s Worlds, in close attendance; Reina stayed in front throughout the last 200m to erase the Spanish record of 1:44.84 set by Luis Javier González in 1993 from the table. Behind him, Yiampoi easily overhauled Bungei for second (1:44.37 from 1.44.73) while Portuguese Rui Silva, running 1:44.91 came fourth and also had the reward of a new National record shattering Alvaro Silva’s long standing record of 1:45.12 set at Seoul Olympics 14 years ago.
Reina said afterwards: “I did not think of winning with such a strong rivalry, but everything was O.K. It was a shame not to make the final in Munich. Honestly, I was ready for it. I will race this Friday in London”.
Also notable among the men’s events was the 1500m race. European silver medallist Reyes Estévez was in a class of his own. With previous splits of 57.42 (400) and 1:55.30 (800), the second pacemaker, former 800m Olympic champion William Tanui, covered the 1000m in 2:23.82. At the bell (2:38.11) Estévez stepped up the pace dramatically to open a massive 40m gap and no-one could live with the Spanish last lap. By 1200m (2:52.13) Estévez seemed relaxed and barely out of breath, but he decided not to pull out all the stops and looked back so many times as to slow down his pace. The 26 year old Spaniard crossed the finish line in 3:34.67 with Kenya’s David Nyaga and Japhet Kimutai (800m specialist) just behind him clocking 3:35.47 and 3:36.11 respectively.
“I just did my race and did not run at 100% .I. will be competing over the mile this Friday at Crystal Palace in London” Estévez declared. Another brilliant performance over this distance came from local steeplechaser Luis Miguel Martín Berlanas, who snatched bronze in Munich. Aged 26, Berlanas left the 1500 event four years ago with a PB of 3:39.07 which he cut in San Sebastian by nearly three seconds, 3:36.11, ahead of precocious Kenyan Isaac Songok, born in 1984. “After so many years looking for a fast time in the 1500, it´s an enormous boost to run a PB today. Next August 30 I will be running my specialist event in Brussels” Berlanas said.
Two young Kenyans starred in the men’s steeplechase. The race started at a reasonable pace led by Spain’s Eliseo Martín (2:45.98 at 1000). His fellow countryman José Luis Blanco was in front at 2000, reached in 5:32.19 but shortly afterwards the Kenyan couple of Paul Koech and Ezequiel Kemboi upped the pace slightly to dash Blanco’s hopes of succeeding on home soil. 20 year old Kemboi tried to overtake Koech at the final barrier, but to no avail, crossing the finish line in 8:14.43 and 8:14.36 respectively. Blanco’s 8:16.28 for third was his second fastest ever and he got his own back for not being selected for Munich, where Spaniards took gold, bronze and fifth place.
The men’s 3000m flat witnessed a fine win by 18 year-old Kenyan James Kwalia. 5000 metres European champion Alberto García made a big move with 250m to go, but Kwalia did not yield and edged clear on the straight to take a comfortable victory in 7:37.42 from García’s 7:38.28. There were another two men under the 7:40 barrier, Morocco’s Salah El Ghazi, 7:39.78 and Spain’s Roberto García, who crossed the line in 7:39.97 for a new PB. This way García confirmed that his 4th place in Munich, behind Alberto García, Ismail Sghyr and Sergey Lebid was no fluke. Moreover, a revival of the Munich 10,000m final took place as the field also included the first three on that occasion. Germany’s Dieter Baumann was able to defeat narrowly European champion José Manuel Martínez timing 7:40.97 and 7:41.25 respectively. Like Martínez, bronze medallist José Ríos also ran a lifetime best of 7:42.08.
In the infield, Hungary’s Robert Fazekas and Lithuania’s Virgilijus Alekna reproduced their 1-2 spots at the Europeans in the discus. Fazekas, also world leader, opened with 63.92 while Alekna began by throwing 63.90. The Lithuanian improved to 64.86 in the second round to take the lead, but Fazekas came up with 65.70 in his third attempt and produced 68.13 in round 5 to cement his leadership. In the final throw Alekna reached 66.73 to finish 1.40m down. Estonia’s Aleksander Tammert also exceeded the 65m barrier (65.12).
Yago Lamela’s 8.10 (+1.2) opener was sufficient to succeed in the men’s long jump as he found no real challenge from the European champion, Ukraine’s Aleksey Lukashevich, who leapt 7.97 in the third round and did not go further in the second half of the contest. By contrast, Lamela produced a convincing series of leaps over the 8m barrier, bounding out to a wind assisted 8.25 (+2.3) in his second jump to top his series of: 8.10 (+1.2) – 8.25 (+2.3) – 8.17 (+0.4) – X- 8.13 (+0.1) – 8.06 (+0.2). World leading American Savante Stringfellow’s performance did not live up to expectations as he was unable to fly over 8 metres, having to settle for third place with a best effort of 7.96. Even poorer was fellow countryman Miguel Pate who could not jump further than 7.23 to finish last.
Grenada’s Alleyne Francique, 7th at last year’s Worlds, took the 400m in fine style with a 44.87 clocking well ahead of Mauritus’ Eric Milazar and European silver medallist Spain’s David Canal. Both crossed the finish line in 45.41 while Russia’s Ruslan Maschenko took the top spot in the 400 hurdles with ease in 49.33.
There was a disappointing shot put contest as no one was able to throw over 20.50 despite the best Europeans being in contention. Spain’s Manuel Martínez began with 20.06 to take the lead but Denmark’s Joachim Olsen responded with 20.22 in round 3 and Germany’s Ralf Bartels threw 20.27 in round 5, which was good enough to win. Martínez’s last round of 20.21 came within one centimetre of Olsen’s second place. European champion Ukraine’s Yuriy Belonog faded to 4th place with a best mark of 20.12.
On the women’s side, one the most remarkable performances came from Glory Alozie, who had interrupted Gail Devers’ pursuit of the IAAF Golden League Jackpot by beating her in Zurich on Friday, 16 August. After three false starts, Alozie was quickest away and she was two metres clear of Aliuska López at halfway. Alozie ran a controlled second half to win the 100 hurdles in 12.96 (+2.2) ahead of López’s 13.05. European 5000m champion Marta Domínguez had to show good shape after she dropped out in Zurich last Friday over 5000m due to a stomach upset. The race started slowly (2:57.73 and 5:58.22 for the first two kilometres). By then, only three women remained still in contention: Domínguez herself, Kenya’s Leah Malot and the surprise Uganda’s Dorcus Inzikuru. With 300 to go Malot fell and lost her chances. Then, Domínguez quickened the pace to take her clear of Inzikuru and give her a comfortable win in 8:47.93 with 0.88 separating the two at the line.
Ukraine’s Irina Lishchinska produced a devastating kick in the closing stages to pip former World champion Portugal’s Carla Sacramento in the 1500. The winning time was 4:05.47 from Sacramento’s 4:05.87. 22 year old Iris Fuentes-Pila was fastest among the Spanish armada with a 4:06.63 fine clocking for third place, outkicking Kenya’s Jakeline Maranga, fourth in 4:06.87.
Russia’s Yelena Belyakova lost the bronze medal in Munich on countback to Germany’s Yvonne Buschbaum, both having cleared the bar over 4.50. Here, she had to settle for 4.41 in her second attempt to overcome a trio consisting of Spain’s Naroa Agirre and Dana Cervantes along with Germany’s Carolin Hingst, all of them surpassing 4.31m.
The battle between Hungary’s Tunde Vaszi and Spain’s Concha Montaner was to be the attraction in the long jump as Vaszi had snatched the bronze medal from Montaner in round 5 at the Europeans. After the first three rounds Vaszi led with 6.48 (+1.0) from Montaner’s 6.46, but the 21 year old former World junior champion cleared 6.53 (0.0) in round 4 to uncork the jump of the contest as Vaszi had no further response. Russia’s Tatyana Ter-Mesrobyan, 7.06 this season, disappointed with a best leap of 6.38m, also bettered by triple jumper Carlota Castrejana’s 6.44.
In the high jump two women cleared 1.92, Kazakhstan’s Tatyana Efimenko and Croatia’s Blanka Vlasic. Efimenko won on countback, as she had first time clearances at 1.81;1.86 and 1.92, whereas it took her two attempts to get over 1.89. Vlasic cleared only 1.81 at the first try as she needed three jumps to clear 1.86 and 1.89 and managed 1.92 at her second attempt. The Spanish duo of Ruth Beitia and Marta Mendía cleared 1.89.
Jamaica’s Debbie Parris claimed victory in the 400m hurdles with a 56.31 clocking, 0.47 faster than Argentina’s Cora Olivero,while Italy’s Monika Niederstatter came third in 57.24. Felicia Moldovan’s 62.61 opener throw was good enough to take top spot in the javelin, 0.54m clear of Russia’s Yekaterina Ivakina’s best performance.
