Logo

News02 Mar 2000


Kenyans take the day in Melbourne

FacebookTwitterEmail


AP

2 March 2000 – Melbourne - Luke Kipkosei of Kenya powered past two rivals on the final lap Thursday to win the 3000m at the season-opening IAAF Grand Prix II meet at Olympic Park.

Kipkosei overtook eventual second-place finisher and countryman Daniel Komen and third-place Australian Michael Power to win in 7:45.20.

Kenyan runners won three other major races Thursday, with John Kosgei setting an Australian national record of 8:19.47 in the 3000m steeplechase.

William Chirchir gave Kenya its third win when he took the 1500m in 3:32.55 ahead of compatriot Noah Ngeny (3:33.45). World record holder Joseph Kimani scored the fourth Kenyan win when he finished the 10,000m in 28:30.32.

World champion Cathy Freeman of Australia had a hard time fighting off Mexican Ana Guevara in the 400 metres.

Freeman, still feeling the effects of her winning 200-400 double on the weekend at the Australian titles, won in 50.31 seconds.

She wanted to break 50 seconds at her last race in Australia before the Olympics, but also felt the heat and was happy just to hold off Guevara (50.41).

"I didn't realize how tired I was until I went to run,'' Freeman said.

The Melbourne Grand Prix II event is one of 29 Grand Prix meetings in 2000 ending with the IAAF Grand Final in Doha, Qatar on Oct. 5. The next Grand Prix is scheduled for March 24 in Pretoria, South Africa.

Pages related to this article
Disciplines
Loading...