2.05 World leading jump by Tia Hellebaut in Birmingham (© Getty Images)
Since its inception at the turn of the millennium, the Super Grand Prix in the Qatari capital city of Doha has increasingly set the standard for early season performances. And with the successful staging of the Asian Games last December behind them the organisers of Friday’s (11) Qatar IAAF World Super Tour 2007 which is part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2007, have assembled a high class field to continue in the same vein.
The quality of this the first IAAF Super Grand Prix status meeting of the year will give us some pointers as to the early favourites for titles at the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan, in three and a half months’ time (25 Aug – 2 Sep).
The men’s 3000 metres has provided a terrific finale to the evening’s entertainment in each of the last three years, and the same is expect this yeart too with a similar cast, including two previous winners, Isaac Songok and Eliud Kipchoge, who was only prevented from a hat-trick of victories last year by a superb tactical run by Songok and Augustine Choge, who had set a World Junior record behind Kipchoge in 2005.
Choge has opted for the 1500 metres this year, which can hardly be described as an easier option, since it features another raft of elite Kenyans, including last year’s winner, Alex Kipchirchir, Daniel Kipchirchir Komen and Shadrack Korir, as well as Yusuf Baba of Morocco. But the 3000 remains no less awesome, with Abraham Chebii and Tariku Bekele, who is, unusually, the only Ethiopian in the meeting.
Sprint Fireworks
The 100 metres in Doha has always lived up to its explosive billing, no more so than last year, when it looked as if Justin Gatlin** had set a World record of 9.76sec, before it was amended to a record-equalling 9.77sec. Friday evening’s race should be a much closer affair, featuring the winners from the two previous years, Olympic 200 metres champion, Shawn Crawford of the USA, and double European sprint champion, Francis Obikwelu of Portugal.
They face a stacked field, including Michael Frater and Christopher Williams of Jamaica, and Caribbean neighbours, Darrell Brown and Marc Burns of Trinidad. Add to the mix, Nigerian Olasoji Fasuba, who equalled Bruny Surin’s best-ever second place time, of 9.84sec here last year, then stand back and watch the fireworks.
But the biggest surprise could come from Dwight Phillips. The World and Olympic Long Jump champion has made a lot of changes in his life and career in the last six months, and sees himself as a serious contender not just for another jump title in Osaka, but the 100 metres too!
“I only jumped 8.31 last year, and felt I was getting complacent. So I got in touch with Carl Lewis, and he advised me work with his coach Tom Tellez. He thinks Tellez is the best coach ever, and having worked with him, I agree. He’s the perfect coach, and I’m in perfect shape, and anything could happen this year”. Phillips has already done 8.28m this year, but will be concentrating on the 100 metres, where he confidently expects to qualify for Osaka in the US Trials.
Hellebaut, Vlasic to venture again into 2m territory?
Tia Hellebaut flirted with the idea of going back to her initial specialty, the multi-events earlier this year, before concentrating on what she does best, and recording one of the performances of the European Indoor championships, with a 2.05 metres High Jump, adding to the gold she won outdoors in Gothenburg last summer. Blanka Vlasic has also jumped 2.05 metres, but the Croat comes into the competition here with more 2m+ jumps than the Belgian, and their duel should be bolstered by the presence of Ruth Beitia of Spain (1.97m), and world leader outdoors thus far, Nicole Forrester of Canada, with 1.95m.
Alekna not retiring just yet
Virgilius Alekna claimed last year that he was only sticking around in order to win the only medal missing from his mantelpiece, the European gold. Despite doing that in Gothemburg last summer, and completing the Grand Slam (and some!) of Olympic, World and European titles, the Lithuaninan is back, intending to inflict further grief on his rivals, led by Franz Kruger of South Africa.
Two lap winner return
Mohamed Al Azemi raised a few eyebrows last year, when he won the 800 metres B race with a faster time than Wilfried Bungei’s victory among the big boys. The Kuwaiti and the Kenyan are on a collision course this year, in a finely balanced field which also includes Mbulaeni Mulaudzi of South Africa, Amine Lalou of Morocco and Abubaker Khamis of Sudan.
Thorkildsen returns to his first 90m runway
Olympic Javelin champion, Andreas Thorkildsen breached the 90 metres barrier here last year, for the first time in his career, while relegating retiring legend Jan Zelezny into second place. The Norwegian went onto even better things later last summer, ending with a new national record of 91.59m. He’s still got a long way to go to rival the Czech in both distance and titles, but at only 25 years of age, he’s the man most likely to be referred to in future as the man with the golden arm. Former World champion, Sergei Makarov is his main rival, with Magnus Arvidsson of Sweden aiming to add further to his five metre improvement in Osaka last Friday, with 85.75m.
Sally McLelland of Australia also made a startling improvement in Osaka, taking two-tenths off her high hurdles best, with 12.71sec. Former World champion, Anjanette Kirkland of the USA, colleagues, Lolo Jones and Danielle Carruthers, and Lacena Golding-Clarke of Jamaica will be looking to put her in her place here.
Stefanie Dunst was a surprise winner of the women’s 100 metres, against World champion, Lauryn Williams last year. The pair renew rivalry, but also have good company, since World 200 metres champion Allyson Felix also will be running, as well as going in the 400m as well on Friday evening. Felix is eyeing a spot on the USA 4x400m relay team for Osaka, and has a one lap best of 51.12.
Tianna Madison (USA), the reigning women’s World Long Jump champion will contest her gold medal winning event in Doha, and will face Russia's Tatyana Kotova who was silver medallist behind her in Helsinki 2005.
Pat Butcher for the IAAF
On 11 May, click here for START LISTS and RESULTS
**NB. Justin Gatlin: on-going legal process regarding possible sanction for anti-doping violation.
