Zahra Ouaziz shines on in Dakar
Anna Legnani reports from the African Championships
21 August 1998 - The violent downpour which swept the stadium in Dakar and paralysed traffic here this morning, lowered the temperatures but left humidity over 90% in the afternoon and still above 80% at the start of the women’s 3000m. Moroccan Zahra Ouaziz, the revelation of 1998, was undaunted and gave a remarkable demonstration of her talent and character, leaving her adversaries on the spot as she kicked after the first kilometre. Her lead had stretched to 100 metres by the next lap and she ran the closing stages of the race all alone to finish in 8:35.75.
It all began at the World Cross Country Championships, staged on home soil back in March, where Ouaziz took silver in the short race behind Ireland’s double gold Sonia O’Sullivan, and lead her team mates to an historical gold in the team competition. At twenty-eight, she attacked the track season with new-found authority, which propelled her to the top of the 5000m rankings (setting two African records on the way) and second in the world over 3000m. Just as Ethiopia had taken second in the team standings in Marrakech, so Genet Gebregiorgis had to settle for silver, with 9:13.47, in Dakar, with her fellow Ethiopian Yimenashu Taye - gold medallist in the junior race in March - taking bronze with 9:13.59.
South Africans increased their ranks for the World Cup next month, earning three more golds. Okkert Brits gave some flavour to an event he looked set to dominate on paper, by failing the first two attempts at his opening measure of 5m40. Brits re-established the hierarchy with his last attempt, then abandoned a pole vault contest which, objectively, afforded conditions less than optimal. Brits will be joined in Johannesburg by shot putter Burger Lambrechts (19m78 today) and high hurdler Shaun Bownes (13.72 ahead of Nigeria’s William Erese with 13.92).
Other African champions crowned today include Najoua Inbrahim Ali (EGY), who walked the 5000m in 24:28.42 and Lindy Leveau (SEY) who threw her javelin to 47m56.
Frank Fredericks ran an easy 20.81 in the 200m semis, relaxing in the last metres after glancing sideways to check that Ghana’s Eric Kkansah (20.99) posed no threat. In thr women’s event, Nigerians Rose Aboaja (23.37) and Falilat Ogunkoya (23.44) cruised through to tomorrow’s final.
Benyounès Lahlou (MOR) ran the fastest 800m heat in 1:46.26, ahead of Zimbabwean veteran Savieri Ngidhi (1:46.32), while Kenya’s stars Japhet Kimutai and Patrick Ndururi wasted no energy, clocking 1:48.58 and 1:50.66 in their respective heats.
Along with the men’s 800m and the two 200m, nine other trials are scheduled for Saturday 22 August, closing day of the 11th African Championships: men’s high jump, long jump, javelin throw, 3000m and women’s 400m hurdles, 1500m and heptathlon as well as the mile relays.
