News09 May 2008


Oliver, Felix dazzle in Doha – IAAF World Athletics Tour

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David Oliver en route to his 12.95 victory in Doha (© AFP/Getty Images)

No doubt who was the star of the show at the Qatar Super Grand Prix - IAAF World Athletics Tour - meeting in Doha on Friday evening. David Oliver became only the 11th man to go under 13 seconds in the 110m Hurdles, with his victory by over five metres in a 12.95 personal best – one of half a dozen meet records set.  

Felix’s dazzling double

But pride of place surely goes to Allyson Felix. She won a 100/400 metres 'double' here last year, to convince herself and the US selectors that she would do relay justice in Osaka – she duly won three golds, 200, 4x100 and 4x400 metres. But tonight was something else.
   
Not only did she repeat the 'double', she hammered her best times for the distances, with barrier-busting times of 10.93 and 49.83. And she made it look so easy. Both fields were better than last year, but she ran away from there with even more ease than she did 12 months ago.

In the latter race, new African champion and 'find', Amantle Montsho of Botswana must have been exhausted from her gold medal efforts in Addis Ababa a week ago, because she couldn't do more than 51.87, two whole seconds down on her victory time a week ago. But you got the impression that no one would have made much impression on Felix.

The Olympic timetable doesn't permit her to attempt the 200/400 double that one of her coach Bobby Kersee's first protégées, Valerie Briso-Hooks, pulled off in Los Angeles 1984 (in the absence of the Soviets and East Germans). In any case, Felix said the day before, "The 200 is still my favourite event". But this writer wouldn't mind betting that when she has time, inclination and opportunity, Felix will set about breaking the 49 second barrier and, who knows(?), might even mount an assault on a time and a run that is still imprinted on my memory bank – Marita Koch's 47.60 at the World Cup in Canberra 1985.

Oliver: With a better start, ‘I could have broke the world record!’

The Qatar meeting regularly sets the early season standard nowadays, and this year was no different. Half a dozen meet records and world leading performances were produced. And some terrific competition too. Oliver incidentally said, "The race was awesome. I didn't get a good start either, if I would have gotten away better, I could have broke the world record!”

“It will come though. I am happy that I was again able to better my PB in Doha like last year. Now I am going back home and then to Berlin - I am excited what I will be able to achieve in Berlin. My goal is the final at the Olympics in Beijing."

2.03m debut for Vlasic...

Blanka Vlasic tried hard to emulate her floor show of last year, when she cleared 2.04m metres, and had three decent attempts at a new record of 2.10m in the High Jump. But after watching the best of her would-be rivals – Anna Chicherova of Russia – stall at 1.96m, Vlasic eased over 1.98m, 2.01m and 2.03m, but blew out herself at 2.05m.

...World lead for Hoffa as well

Reese Hoffa kept up his impressive form, hitting 21.01m with both first and second put, was three centimeters shy on his third, but on his fourth and final, hit 21.48m for a world lead.

Jaysuma Saidy Ndure of Norway improved his visiting card with a personal best 10.01, for probably his most impressive 100m victory over a field which included World indoor champion, and twice African champ, Olusoji Fasuba, who could do no better than sixth.

The second Norwegian victory of the night was rather more expected, Olympic champion, Andreas Thorkildsen dominating the Javelin Throw with his opener of 87.59m. He threw 87.58m for good measure on his last attempt, but the victory was already won.

Saidy Ndure withdrew from the 200m, following his short sprint win, and Jeremy Wariner also pulled a muscle in the warm-up, leaving the field to Lashawn Merritt to demolish in 20.08.

Ehsan Hadadi of Iran was a popular winner of the Discus Throw, the Asian champion winning with his final toss off 67.20m. While Randy Lewis kicked the proverbial sand in the faces of his opponents, with 17.44m in the Triple Jump.

The men from the Maghreb (lands of the setting sun) in north-west Africa took the top three spots in a close run 1500m. Former world junior champ, Abdelati Iguider (3:33.27) beat his Moroccan colleague, Mohamed Moustaoui (3:33.31) into second, with Algerian Antar Zerguelaine (3:33.32) taking third.

Kamila Skolimowska won the battle of the Olympic hammer champs, the Pole winning with 72.96m, from her colleague, Anita Wlodarczyk, with Athens champ, Olga Kuzenkova of Russia back in fifth.

For the rest, the Kenyans provided their usual blanket victories in the 800, 3000 and 3000m Steeplechase. Pick of the bunch was Osaka bronze medalist, Richard Mateelong's runaway win in 8.07.64 (another world lead). David Rudisha out-manouevred his colleagues with a 1.44.36 win.

The inevitable burn up, which is the final event, the 3000m went to Augustine Kiprono Choge, who set a World junior record of 7.28.78 here three years ago. He won in 7.32.01 (memories of Henry Rono), but defeated men who beat him the last three years – Eliud Kipchoge and Isaac Songok.

Pat Butcher for the IAAF

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