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News20 Aug 1998


Mutola confirms her splendid year in African Championships

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Mutola confirms her splendid year at African Championships
Anna Legnani reports from Dakar - 20 August 1998

Maria Mutola gave a dazzling display of her talent, clocking an exceptional 1:57.95 in a race that she lead from start to finish without the slightest opposition. Despite lacking the stimulus of any serious competition, the Mozambican, who has dominated the 800m this season with three times under 1:57, honoured spectators and organisers with the mettle of a true champion. Moroccan Hasna Benhassi finished far behind in 2:01.24 and struggled in the last few metres to withstand Julia Sakara (ZIM), who took third place with 2:01.55.

Thrilling duels animated both 400m finals. Falilat Ogunkoya, running inside her team Nigerian team-mate, powered down on the diminutive Charity Opara, who regained ground in the last 50 metres, fighting shoulder to shoulder, but had to settle for silver in 50.13 against Ogunkoya’s 50.07.

The men’s race followed a similar scenario, with Clement Chukwu (NGR) resisting Davis Kamoga’s comeback. Both the World Student Games champion and the veteran Ugandan went under 45 seconds (44.66 and 44.79). Another thirty-year-old, Senegal’s Ibrahima Wade, completed the podium with 45.05 just 4/100 off the Senegalese 400m record which has stood since the year of his birth. 17-year-old Ndka Awazie (NGR) was just out of the medals with his mark of 45.44, ahead of a disappointing Arnaud Malherbe (RSA), shaving another 0.1 off the personal best he had set in Annecy three weeks before when he took the world junior title.

World record holder Bernard Barmasai (KEN) won the 3000m steeplechase in a time of 8:11.74, with his compatriot Richard Limo, silver medallist in the world cross country championships’ junior race in March, second with 8:20.67 and Morocco’s Brahim Boulami trailing in third with 8:29.52.

Olympic champion Chioma Ajunwa (NGR) successful fought off the cramps which made her pass her second attempt in the long jump, to take gold with 6m78, ahead of Chinedu Odozor, also of Nigeria, with 6m45. Algerian world junior champion Baya Rahouli added a second medal to her collection, after striking gold in the triple jump, taking long jump bronze with 6m36.

Laban Rotich of Kenya, second only to Morocco’s magnificent El Guerrouj over 1500m this season, hid in the pack for most of the race, finally unleasing his speed at the bell and cruising to victory in 3:45.03. World Junior Champion Adel Kaouch (MAR) edged past Algeria’s Ali Saidi-Sief to take second place (3:47.34 vs. 3:47.89).

South Africa extended its continental dominance in the throws to the hammer with Chris Harmse, who projected the implement to 72m11, defeating Tunisia’s Hakim Toumi, after taking his rival’s African record earlier this year.

Hatem Ghoula (TUN) won the 20km walk in 1:31:28 and Rédouane Youcef (ALG) scored 7352 points for the decathlon title.

A fitting finale to the day’s thrilling action came from the sprint relays. Gold was only to be expected for the Nigerian women, but Endurance Ojokolo had to grit her teeth right to the tape to secure supremacy by a hair’s breadth ahead of a remarkable Madagascar. Nigeria clocked 43.75 against Madagascar’s 43.78, with Ghana a close third in 43.89. The men’s race pumped up the adrenaline still further, with Ivory Coast and Ghana battling in the fore ahead of Nigeria, until Ghana dropped the baton in the last exchange and Ivory Coast went on to celebrate victory in 38.76 to Nigeria’s 38.88.

Six finals are scheduled for Friday: men’s pole vault, shot put and 110m hurdles; women’s 5000m walk, javelin and 3000m.

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