Logo

News05 Mar 2004


Women 3000m Semi-Finals

FacebookTwitterEmail

It was an effortlesslooking sweep for Ethiopia in the semi-finals of the women's 3000 metres.

Defending champion Berhane Adere jumped to the lead from a tightly wound pack with three laps to go to win in 8:49.76. Yelena Zadorozhnaya sprinted to the line in the final 50 metres to finish second in 8:50.73, ahead of Ukrainian Maryna Dubrova (8:51.04).  Finishing fourth and taking the fourth automatic qualifying spot was defending silver medallist Marta Dominguez (8:51.05). Both Zadorozhnaya and Dominguez clocked seasonal bests.

With race two considerably slower, the second foursome from the first heat advanced on time: Briton Hayley Tullett (8;51.27), Sabrina Mockenhaupt (8:52.03) of Germany, Belgian record holder Veerle Dejaeghere (8:55.97) and US champion Shayne Culpepper (8:57.48).

The pack in the second race didn't break up until the final 400 metres, with Meseret Defar, the year's second fastest, sprinting in for the win in a slowish 8:57.39, with Jo Pavey second in 8:58.08.  The slower pace helped Irish cross country stadout Maria McCambridge, who arrived in Budapest with the second slowest seasonal mark in the field.  She finished third in the mad dash (8:59.11), just ahead of Russian 10,000m record holder galina Bogomilova (8:59.65).

Casualties of the slower pace were Pole Wioletta Janowska (9:02.58) and Moroccan Zahra Ouaziz (9:05.19).

Loading...