Sileshi Sihine of Ethiopia running the 5000m in Stockholm's Globe Arena (© Hasse Sjögren)
Hengelo, The NetherlandsThe 25th edition of the Thales FBK Games, named in honour of Fanny Blankers-Koen, produced four world season bests on Saturday (26) to highlight the Dutch stop of the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2007.
Sileshi prevails in fast 10,000m while Gebrselassie still displays sub-27:00 form
Hengelo is always good for fast times in the longer distances. The conditions were very good - 16-18 degrees C. with little wind – and the runners took full advantage. Sileshi Shihine clocked 26:48:73 to win the 10.000m, out-sprinting Kenyans Eliud Kipchoge (26:49:02) and Moses Mosop (26:49:55).
But also impressive was the one-time surprise comeback to the track for Haile Gebrselassie. “Mr. Hengelo”, as he is nicknamed in The Netherlands, finished fifth in the fast race in which he manged to stay with the leaders until the final 300 metres. Gebrselassie clocked an impressive 26:52:81. For the Ethiopian runners in the field this race was a selection for the World Championships to be held in Osaka in late August.
Koech approaching sub-8 in Steeplechase, Saladino sails again beyond 8.50m
Kenyan Paul Kipsiele Koech, the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist, ran the fastest 3000m Steeplechase of the still young track season with a time of 8:01:05. Koech was far ahead of his opponents as his most important rival, Brimin Kiprop Kipruto, the Olympic silver medallist, fell half way through the race and finished a distant fourth.
Irving Saladino of Panama, who won at five Golden League meetings last season, was impressive in the Long Jump. Jumping against a 1.2 m/s headwind, he leaped 8.53 to equal the 2007 he jumped earlier this month.
World lead by Burika in the 5000m
In the women’s events there was a world season best for Gelete Burika of Ethiopia. She clocked 14:38:18 in the 5000m topping an impressive field. Over the last few laps she proved to be too strong for Kenyans Florence Jebet Kiplagat (14:40:74) and Priscah Jepleting Ngetich (14:42:00). Kenyan-born Dutchwoman Lornah Kiplagat, the reigning World Road Running and Cross Country champion, finished sixth in 15:06:51.
Dutch track and field, which is doing well the last two years, collected two victories on the evening. World championships silver medallist Rutger Smith won the Shot Put with a 20.85m throw. His nearest opponents Andrei Mikhnevich (BLR) and Garrett Johnson (USA) were way back, reaching 20.21 and 19.80 respectively.
Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles, who took a dominating victory at the Penn Relays last month in 10.09, was the surprise winner of the 100m. With a following wind of 1.2 m/s, he won in 10.14, beating American Shawn Crawford (10.22) and Briton Marlon Devonish (10.25).
Wariner over Kikaya in the 400m
World and Olympic 400m champion Jeremy Wariner missed a $10,000 bonus after missing the 44 second barrier, but won his specialty handily in 44.43, well outside his season’s best and world-pacing 44.03 from Osaka. Gary Kikaya of the Democratic Republic of Congo was second, also under 45 seconds with his 44.77.
The sold-out stadium (18,000) saw a very competitive men’s 800m with five runners finishing within 0.39 seconds of each other. Abraham Chepkirwok of Uganda was the fastest finisher, reaching the line in 1:45:35, to take his second Grand Prix race of the spring. Here the rising 18-year-old, the World Juniors bronze medallist, took down world leader Wilfred Bungei (1:45:46), Pole Marcin Lewandowski (1:45:52), and Holland's reigning European champion Bram Som (1:45:61) to nab the biggest win of his young career.
Bekele bounces back
Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele, who did not finish at the World Cross Country Championships at Mombasa in March where he was a top favourite, proved to be healthy again. In a rather slow 2 mile race he displayed his famous final sprint. 275 metres from the finish he burst away from a large group to prevail over the seldom run distance in 8:13:51.
Elsewhere...
There was a Dutch surprise in the 110m Hurdles. European indoor 60m Hurdles champion Gregory Sedoc finished second in a personal best of 13.37 to American Ryan Wilson (13:33).
Rens Blom, the Dutch World champion in the Pole Vault, couldn’t manage better than a tie for fifth after a 5.50 clearance. American veteran Jeff Hartwig won with a 5.70 leap, the only competitor to negotiate the height.
With exception of the 5000m, the standard of the other five women’s events was not particularly high. In the 100m, after Stephanie Durst was disqualified for a false start, Me’Lisa Barber was the winner in 11.35, beating European champion Kim Gevaert of Belgium, who was a tick behind in 11.36. American Nichole Denby (USA) won the 100m Hurdles in 12.88, but was the only one to dip under 13 seconds.
Marilyn Okoro (GBR) ran one of the fastest 800m runs of the young season, winning in 2:00:70. Belgium’s European High Jump champion Tia Hellebaut did what she was expected to do: win her event, though the winning leap of 1.93 was not particularly noteworthy. In the Discus Throw, only 39 centimetres separated winner Vera Pospilova of the Czech Republic, who reached 64.49, runner-up Franka Dietsch of Germany, who threw 64.19, and Romanian Nicoleta Grasu, who threw 64.10 for third.
Wim van Hemert for the IAAF
