Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia celebrates winning the men's 10,000m final (© Getty Images)
MonteCarloKenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba, two of the sport’s biggest stars, will headline their respective 5000m races when the six meeting IAAF Golden League series commences in Oslo on 2 June, two weeks from today with the Exxon Mobil Bislett Games.
The young Ethiopian stars, just 23 and 20 respectively, have already collectively amassed 18 World titles on the track and in cross country in their short careers, and at Oslo’s Bislett Games, will begin their pursuit of one of the few prizes missing from their large trophy cases – a slice of the $1 million IAAF Golden League Jackpot.
This year there are eleven designated Golden League Jackpot events, and athletes who win at any five of the six meetings will share a purse of $500,000, while an additional $500,000 is on offer to be shared by athletes who succeed in winning their event a sixth time.
Click on the title below for the original Jackpot announcement
New Jackpot, New Opportunities – IAAF Golden League
Men – 3000m / 5000m
As has become customary since emerging on the international scene in 2003, Bekele, also the world record holder at 5000 and 10,000m and Olympic champion in the longer event, will be starting as the man to beat. But Oslo organisers have assembled a solid field of challengers who have Golden League aspirations of their own.
Leading the list is 22-year-old Isaac Songok who is off to a strong start in 2006. The Kenyan beat a strong field in the 3000 last weekend in Doha in 7:28.97, the fastest in the world thus far this year. At last year’s Golden Gala Golden League meeting in Rome, the Kenyan was victorious in the 5000, producing his first sub-13 minute performance with his 12:52.29 clocking.
Also racing in Oslo will be reigning World champion Ben Limo, who raced to a bronze medal earlier this year at the Commonwealth Games; 20-year-old Boniface Kiprop of Uganda, the Commonwealth 10,000m champion; and Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist Zersenay Tadesse of Eritrea. Not to be discounted is Bekele’s younger brother Tariku, who may finally be ready to jump from behind his brother’s shadow.
Women – 3000m / 5000m
Like Bekele, Dibaba is clearly the woman to beat. Last year, Dibaba produced a season that even outdid Bekele’s, beginning with her double victory at the World Cross Country Championships and ending with a historic double in Helsinki where she became the first athlete, male or female, to win both the 5000 and 10,000 at a World Championship.
In Oslo, she will be chased by her older sister Ejegayehu, who produced a double bronze performance behind Tirunesh’s double gold in Helsinki last summer. A seasoned veteran at 24, Ejegayehu has solid credentials on the Golden League circuit, including her thrilling win in Rome in 2004.
Other Ethiopians will figure prominently, including Gelete Burka, the 2005 World short race cross country champion, and Meselech Melkamu, currently No. 6 in her event in the IAAF World Rankings. Prisca Jepleting, currently ranked No. 7 in the World, will lead the Kenyan charge. Another outsider is 22-year-old Zakio Mrisho of Tanzania, who made a huge leap into the world class ranks last year after her notable sixth place showing in the event in Helsinki.
IAAF
2006 IAAF Golden League Events:
Men: 100m, 400m, 1500m, 3000/5000m, Long Jump, Javelin Throw
Women: 100m, 400m, 3000/5000m, 100m Hurdles, High Jump
IAAF Golden League - Dates and venues in 2006:
Friday 2 June, OSLO, NOR
Saturday 8 July, PARIS, FRA
Friday 14 July, ROME, ITA
Friday 18 August, ZURICH, SUI
Friday 25 August, BRUSSELS, BEL
Sunday 3 September, BERLIN, GER
