One of the most open events of the entire World Championships remains, after tonight’s two bruising semis, just that.
While Rashid Ramzi looks on course to defend his title, it is hard to tell who his chief challengers will be, such was the scrambled nature of tonight’s two semi-finals, and some bizarre, not to say risky, tactics from the man thought most likely to deny Ramzi a second successive gold – the American who leads the world this year, Alan Webb.
Ramzi, the defending champion, easily won the second semi as the fastest qualifier, while Webb barely made it through in the fifth automatic qualifying spot from that race by the thickness of his running vest after leaving his run for home perilously late.
Webb’s teammate Bernard Lagat was a comfortable winner of the slower first semi in 3:42.39, but the mass dash for places behind him saw two of the medal contenders – Youssef Baba of Morocco and Kenya’s Daniel Kipchirchir Komen – crash to the track and out of the final. SEE NOTE BELOW
It was all a result of the rather pedestrian pace, as lap times of 62.94 and 64.93 led to a great bunch of runners passing the bell in 2:50.50. Spain’s Juan Carlos Higuero led them into the back straight where Lagat began to make his move having run easy on the leader’s shoulder for much of the race.
He turned on his customary finishing power over the last 100m and strode clear towards the finish line largely unaware of the carnage unfolding behind him.
First to suffer was Baba who appeared well placed to finish in the top five necessary to guarantee progress when France’s Mehdi Baala barged into the back of him attempting to squeeze past Algeria’s Tarek Boukensa. The gap simply wasn’t there.
Baba tumbled to the tartan, arms and legs flailing, bringing down Komen as he tried to skip over the prostrate Moroccan.
Baala finished fourth behind Boukensa and Kenya’s young star Asbel Kiprop, with the late charging Briton, Andrew Baddeley, taking fifth.
Spain’s Arturo Casado sensibly made the second semi a quicker race, taking them through 400m in 57.95 and 800m in 2:01.73. Ramzi ran a comfortable race, shadowing the leader until he needed to put his foot down over the final 200m. At that point he shifted into another gear and strode away from the Spaniard, plus a phalanx of chasers, to cross the line in 3:40.53.
It was all rather reminiscent of Helsinki when the Bahrainian became the first man ever to win the middle distance double at a World Championships.
Webb must have huge confidence in his own finishing kick. Either that or he simply forgot any tactical lessons he’s ever learned. He hung right at the back of the field, off the back at some stages, until the last 300m.
Then, just as the battle kicked off between the leaders 10m in front of him, Webb found himself with it all to do. He switched gears again with 200m to go, but was still well out of the places as he entered the straight. Only a rather desperate lunge for the line saw him into fifth, in 3:41.08, 0.06s ahead of three others.
Antar Zerguelaine, Casado, and Ramzi’s teammate, Belal Mansoor Ali were the other automatic qualifiers, with Sergio Gallardo of Spain and Kenyan Shedrack Kibet Korir taking the fastest qualifier spots.
Osaka 2007 News Team/mkb
NOTE
JURY OF APPEAL DECISION
Monday 27 August - 23:55
Protests were presented by the Spanish, New Zealand and Moroccan Teams after Semi Final 1 of the 1500m Men.
After examining the video of the race the Jury of Appeal decided to disqualify French athlete Mehdi BAALA (bib number 556) under rule 163.2.
The Jury of Appeal also decided to allow Spanish athlete Juan Carlos HIGUERO (bib number 510) and Moroccan athlete Youssef BABA (bib number 808) to compete in the Final, considering they had been seriously affected by jostling and obstruction.
As a result of Baala’s disqualification, New Zealander Nicholas WILLIS (bib number 879) who had originally placed sixth and therefore was not qualified for the next round, moves into fifth place and is qualified for the Final.
RULE 163 (The Race)
2. Any competing athlete who jostles or obstructs another athlete, so as to impede his progress, shall be liable to disqualification from that event. The Referee shall have the authority to order the race to be re-held excluding any disqualified athlete or, in the case of a heat, to permit any athlete(s) seriously affected by jostling or obstruction (other than any disqualified athlete), to compete in a subsequent round of the event. Normally such an athlete should have completed the event with bona fide effort.
The French Team lodged an appeal in consequence of the revised result. The appeal will be examined tomorrow morning.
UPDATE - 28 August
Semi Final 1 of the 1500m Men (Monday 27.08).
Following the appeal presented by the French Team against the Jury of Appeal’s decision to disqualify French athlete Mehdi BAALA (bib number 556) under rule 163.2, the Jury of Appeal met again this morning.
The Jury of Appeal rejected the appeal presented by the French Team and maintained yesterday’s decision (27).
