With a blistering finishing kick in the final 200 metres, Meseret Defar ran to a commanding 14:45.65 victory in the 5000m, continuing Ethiopian distance domination at these Olympic Games.
The 20-year-old Defar, who raced to gold at this year’s World Indoor Championships in the 3000m, had little difficulty responding to the challenge of Kenyan Isabella Ochichi in the latter part of the race to claim the second women’s medal - the other, a bronze by Geta Wami in 2000 - in the event for Ethiopia.
"Coming here, I knew I had a chance to win, but I had my doubts," Defar said. “During the race, I encouraged others to keep fighting, but for myself, I was worried because I could have been first or I could have been fourth. But when I attacked 200 metres before the end, I was sure I was going to win."
After a painfully slow opening lap, the Chinese duo of Sun Yingjie and Xing Huina assumed the early lead, with 2003 World champion Tirunesh Dibaba, World record holder Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey and Russia’s Yelena Zadorozhnaya following in lock step.
Not finding the pedestrian pace to her liking - the first kilometre was reached in 3:12.26 and the second in 6:05.57 - Abeylegesse took control and upped the tempo with six-and-a-half laps to go, but was tailed closely by Defar, with Dibaba a few steps behind.
A lap later it became a three-woman race when Dibaba dropped back while Kenyan Isabella Ochichi, who was third, fourth and fifth at the last three short course races at the World Cross Country Championships, joined the leaders. The trio built a four second lead on a chase pack with 2300 metres remaining when the pint-sized Turk began to struggle. A lap later she was nearly four seconds behind, and out of contention.
Carrying a five second lead into the bell, Ochichi picked up the pace again, but the significantly stronger Defar was clearly not impressed, and simply waited for her moment to strike. When she did, entering the final turn, the only question remaining was how close she would come to Gabriela Szabo’s Olympic record of 14:40.79. The early slow going rendered the task impossible, but as she reached the line, crossing herself while looking up to the sky, her finishing time was insignificant.
Capping an impressive 2004 campaign that included impressive wins on the track as well as on the roads, the 24-year-old Ochichi held on for the silver, clocking 14:48.19. Dibaba, still a teenager, took the bronze in 14:51.83.
"I usually plan a fast race, but the pace was slow because everyone wanted to finish strong," said Ochichi, who dedicated her medal to her mother and husband.
Dibaba, still humble despite her World Championship title, said, "I didn't believe third place was possible for me, so I'm very glad."
Zadorozhnaya duplicated her fourth place showing from last year’s World Championships with a 14:55.52 performance, well ahead of Jo Pavey’s late race charge (14:57.87).
After running near the lead for the opening two laps, defending silver medallist Sonia O’Sullivan fell way off the pace a lap later. Lapped by the leaders with 700 metres to go, she courageously fought on to finish in 16:20.90.
BR
