Maria Mutola victorious in the 800m in Brussels (© Getty Images)
MARIA MUTOLA (MOZ)
Winner of the Golden League Jackpot of $1 million after her sixth consecutive win in the women’s 800m in 1:57.78
“It definitely was a very difficult race for me tonight. It’s the biggest amount of money I’ve ever run for in my life. It wasn’t easy to stay calm and I was obviously very nervous coming into this competition.
“The race tonight was very different and very difficult. I couldn’t see my time at the 200 metre mark but I tried to stay with the group and change gear at the end.
“I know I have been very strong this year but you always have doubts until the race is actually over. I have been running very well throughout the season but anything can happen so I never really thought I had the Jackpot until I actually crossed the finish line.
“I am definitely going to donate part of the money to the Maria Mutola Foundation which I created with the aim of helping young children back in Mozambique to take up sport. I will obviously put some money aside for my future but my foundation is primarily important for me.
“My story is well known now. I was sponsored by a grant from Olympic Solidarity and I want to try and give something back now. There are a lot of projects that can be done back home. I really do hope that by the 2008 Olympic Games there will be 12 to 15 athletes in the Mozambique team.”
HICHAM EL GUERROUJ (MAR)
Winner of men’s 1500 metres in a World Leading performance of 3:28.40
“I am extremely pleased with my run tonight. I was so tired after the World Championships that at first I didn’t even want to come here. But then I decided to come and run the 1500m and offer a great show to the crowd.
“I have had 12 days of constant stress and pressure in Paris and it really has been very difficult. I went back to Morocco and slept for 12 hours each night.
“Tonight I ran with an exceptional ease, I was only running at 50% of my ability but was still pushing the pace setters. It felt like jogging to me.
“I am also very pleased for Medhi Baala who came 3 hundredths of a second short of the European record. He ran the perfect race and really deserved to improve on the record. I believe he is capable of breaking the European record soon. He is not quite ready yet to beat me though.
“Next year will be very important for me. I want to go to Athens and win both the 1500m and 5000m. My only aim at the Olympics next year is to win two gold medals.
“I know I am not an Olympic champion but maybe the double win next year will pay back for the two Olympic titles I lost in my career.”
As Mutola crossed the finish line
“And there you go! Mutola has won one million dollars. I am very pleased for her, she has had an excellent year, and deserves the Jackpot. Isn’t track and field beautiful?”
SAIF SAEED SHAHEEN (QAT)
Winner of the 3000m Steeplechase in a new Area Record and World Leading time of 8:00.06
“The first kilometre was all right but then at 1400m I realised it was too slow. I would have liked the pace maker to take us at least to the second kilometre.
“I am still not pleased with the result. I was aiming at a sub 8 minutes performance around 7.55 or 7.57.
“I do not like the steeplechase because you get a lot of problems, a lot of injuries and it inevitably leads you to missing important races. Tonight was my last steeplechase run of the year. Six races a year is enough for me.
SUREYYA AYHAN (TUR)
Winner of the women’s 1500m in a World Leading time of 3:55.33
“At first I was entered in the 800m race here in Brussels but then I decided to run the 1500m because I lost the final in Paris and I really wanted to win this race here.
“Of course I wanted to win gold in Paris, I wanted to be the World Champion but that was not my day. It was a bad day.
“Until two years ago I didn’t like running with pace makers, then I started liking it more and more. I wish I could have run with one in Paris, if I had had a pacemaker I probably would have become world champion.
“Before taking up track and field I used to eat rabbits. Then I stopped. And now I eat rabbits again!”
