News31 May 2010


Rain and winds put a damper on Hengelo - IAAF World Challenge

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Comfortable 2010 outdoor debut for Meseret Defar in the Hengelo 5000m (© organisers)

Sunday's 28th edition of the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games, the biggest track meet in The Netherlands, was spoiled by difficult conditions, with the driving rain and wind upstaging the competition on the track at this IAAF World Challenge meeting.

Despite the conditions, a pair of events did stand out: the women's 1500m and 5000m. In the 1500m, Olympic champion Nancy Lagat, the winner in the Shanghai Diamond League meeting, continued her strong early season with a convincing victory in 4:02:09, beating American Christine Wurth-Thomas. World champion Maryam Jamal of Bahrain continues to struggle, finishing a disappointing ninth here in 4:10:53.

Ethiopian Meseret Defar, whose pre-meet plan was an assault on the World 5000m record, didn't manage that but was nonetheless in a class of her own. In her outdoor debut, Defar cruised to a 14:38:87 victory, crossing the line nearly 20 seconds ahead of compatriot Emebet Anteneh (14:56:88).

Martina and Jeter take windy 100m wins

Both the men's and women's 100m races were run with an assisting wind of 3.3. Chunrandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles, who last year was the first man to run a sub-10.00 in The Netherlands, was the men's winner in 10.15, his third victory of the season. After a delay caused by a malfunction of the electronic timing system, American Carnmelita Jeter won the women's 100m in 11.16 to remain unbeaten in four starts over the distance in 2010.

The men's 3000m, with Kenenisa Bekele sidelined with injury, ended in a three men sprint between a trio of Kenyans with Vincent Kiprop prevailing in 7:41:48 ahead of Mike Kigen (7:41:65) and Mathew Kisorio (7:41:99).

Abubaker Kaki of Sudan had little trouble dispensing with a strong field in the men's 800m. The two-time World indoor champion took a comfortable victory in 1:45.66, with Poland's Marcin Lewandowski (1:46.23) second and fast-closing Manuel Olmedo of Spain third in 1:46.27.

Robles takes a dive

Among the most disappointed athletes was Olympic 110m Hurdles champion and World record holder Dayron Robles. After a lacklustre start, the Cuban hit several hurdles before falling over the final one, and eventually reached the line in just over 35 seconds. The winner was the defending FBK Games champion Andy Turner of Great Britain in 13.34 (+2.5), ahead of Jamaican record holder Dwight Thomas who clocked 13.49.

Another Olympic champion who was beaten was Brimin Kipruto in the steeplechase. He was out-sprinted by compatriot Benjamin Kiplagat, 8:17.12 to 8:18.27.

On the infield, World champion Dwight Phillips rode a +2.8 wind to an 8.42m winning leap in the Long Jump. His best legal effort, 8.28m, would have sufficed for victory, as Germany's Christian Reif reached 8.27m for second.

Kovago remains unbeaten in 2010

Hungary's Zoltan Kovago, the winner in the Shanghia Diamond League, remained undefeated in four outings this season with a 65.51m best effort, 26 centimeter better than that of Estonia's Olympic champion Gerd Kanter, who reached 65.35m.

Elsewhere on the infield, the weather forced modest results. Samson Oni of Great Britain won the High Jump on countback over World champion Yaroslav Rybakov at 2.24m, while World champion Yargelis Savigne won the Triple Jump at 14.36m. The wind and rain forced the cancellation of the men's Pole Vault.

Wim van Hemert for the IAAF

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