Edith Masai of Kenya, who had to content with the World Championships 5000m bronze behind Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba and Spain’s Marta Dominguez in Paris after a tactically slow race was determined in the last 30 metres, made sure her finishing sprint would be victorious in today’s 3000 metres race.
36-year-old Masai clocked a new season’s best of 8:36.82 in what was only her second 3000m race of the year to defeat Russia’s Yelena Zadorozhnaya (8:37.40) and Great Britain’s Joanne Pavey (8:37.89).
World 10,000 metres champion Berhane Adere of Ethiopia who had led for most of the race eventually finished fifth in 8:39.26.
Morocco’s Zhor El Kamch who improved her personal best to 8:34.85 this year took the lead as the starter let the athletes go. Adere soon took over as the athletes had covered the first 400 metres and no-one seemed interested in setting the pace.
Adere turned back in an attempt to ask for somebody’s support in setting the pace but none of the other eight runners took that risk. This game of watching and controlling each other resulted in a 4:23.7 first half – the second half being timed in 4:13.2.
With three laps to go seven athletes were still in the leading pack. At the bell Adere and Pavey were neck and neck with Meseret Defar (ETH), Zadorozhnaya and Masai on their heels.
Adere was the first to make a move with 300 metres to go but it was soon evident that she wouldn’t have enough left in her tank to maintain the first position. Entering the final straight, Zadorozhnaya took the inside and Masai took the outside of Adere who was starting to fade.
With 80 metres to go, Masai was already on her way to victory and Defar had still a chance to get second but the young Ethiopian was soon to be overtaken by Zadorozhnaya who took second and Pavey who took third.
“My race was not bad today, said Masai. I ran the 5000m in Brussels but I was still tired then. Now, I am starting to come back into shape.
“It’s nice because in the race there was Adere, the world champion, and other fine ladies. I didn’t have a plan but as I saw it was finishing I tried my best to push.”
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