| It was surprising to see such a fast race in the final of the 10,000 metres run in a temperature of over 30c. The Championship record was betterd by nearly 25 seconds. Gete Wami, the bronze medallist in the Olympic Games of Atlanta, won with 30:24.56, while the previous record belonged to the Chinese Wang Junxia with 30:49.30 since Stuttgart '93. Wami gave her country its first gold medal in this event in the history of the Championships. The main reason for the speed of the race was the Briton Paula Radcliffe who set the pace from the start. At half the distance, reached in 15:25.24, there were just four athletes heading the group, namely Radcliffe, Wami, the world best holder of marathon Tegla Loroupe (KEN) and the Olympic champion Fernanda Ribeiro (POR). Ribeiro was evidently suffering at this point and dropped out one kilometer later. In this way the medallists were decided four kilometers away from home. A bit later Loroupe attacked to avoid the final sprint of Wami, but she did not get her goal. Also Radcliffe tried to escape at about the 8km mark but without success. Wami attacked with the bell and in a final lap covered in 1:04., she took a comfortable victory, while Radcliffe had no problems to beat Loroupe, who is a marathon runner. |
| 10000m Mujeres - Final |
Sorprendente en la final de Sevilla, corrido con una
temperatura de mas de 30 grados ha visto como se batia el record de los campeonatos por
mas de 25 segundos. Gete Wami, ganadora de la medalla de bronce en los Juegos de Atlanta
vencio con 30:24.56 (record previo de Wang Junxia con 30:49.30 en Stuttgart '93). Wami dio
a su pais la primera medalla de oro sobre esta distancia en la historia de los mundiales.
La principal razon de que la carrera fuera tan rapida tiene nombre propio: la britanica
Paula Radcliffe quien fiel a su estilo se puso en cabeza desde los primeros kilometros. Al
paso del ecuador de la prueba, cubierta en 15:25.24 solo cuatro atletas permanecian en
cabeza, Radcliffe, Wami, la plusmarquista mundial de Marathon, Tegla Loroupe (KEN) y la
campeona olimpica Fernando Ribeiro (POR), quien daba evidentes muestras de sufrimiento. Un
kilometro despues Ribeiro se retiro, asi que a falta de cuatro kilometros las medallas ya
se habian decidido. Poco despues Loroupe tiro fuerte para evitar el sprint final de Wami,
pero no consiguio su objetivo. Sobre el kilometro 8 Radcliffe hizo un ultimo intento de
llegar sola a los ultimos metros, tambien sin exito. En los ultimos 400 metros Wami ataco
fuerte y haciendo 1:04. vencio comodamente aventajando a Radcliffe quien no tuvo problemas
para ganar a una maratoniana como Loroupe.   |