Daniel Komen after his 5000m world record at the 1997 IAAF Van Damme Memorial Grand Prix meeting in Brussels (© Getty Images)
Kenyan running star Daniel Komen will end his small opener circuit on June 9 in Bratislava, Slovakia at IAAF Grand Prix II Meet - SLOVNAFT ´98.
After mile in Eugene, 2000 m in Milano (June 5) he will finish before returning to Kenya in Bratislava with another attempt at the 2000 m record. As his agent Kim McDonald so often said: "His every race this season will be a world record attack", the athletics fans in Slovakia are expecting a great race. McDonald feels: "He is capable running between 7:15 and 7:20."
This will be Komen’s second appearance in the Slovak meet, last year he won the 1500m with a meeting record and personal best at that time of 3:31.29. The 3000m is one of his favourites and he owns both outdoors and indoors world records with 7:20.67 (1996) and 7:24,90 (1998), respectively, after an unsuccessful bid for the 2000m mark in Milan, he will now attack the record for the distance again in Bratislava rather than his original plan to attempt an improvement on his own 3000m mark. Also contending should be World Championships bronze medallist Tom Nyariki, who has also good memories of Bratislava, where he won last year’s 5000 m in 12:56.66.
Among other highlights on Tuesday June 9 should be the women’s pole vault competition. World record holder Emma George from Australia will face former European Record Holder Anzhela Balakhonova from Ukraine. George already in Europe will have not only Cottbus (4.50), but also Milan (4.41) and Prague behind her so should be in peak form. Balakhnonova after her recent European record which was already bettered by Bártová, will be aiming for 4.60m.
Other interesting events:
Men
200 m: 2nd and 3rd from World Lists 1998 will run together: new American star Ramon Clay against South-American sprint sensation Sebastian Keitel
400 m: Strong Britons Iwan Thomas and Roger Black against Atlanta medallist Davison Kamoga of Uganda and local hero Stefan Balosák who will try to better the Slovak record of 45.32 (set in Atlanta Olympic games);
800 m: Kenyan affair, as this is not GP event , there are less opportunities to run and organisers are staging the event at the request of the athletes, but the field should be excellent with Patrick Ndururi, David Kiptoo and Robert Chirchir.
Mile: John Mayock, Martin Keino, William Tanui, Steve Holman, Robert Andersen and possibly John Kibowen could well mean an improvement in the meeting record of 3:55.23 achieved by a then-unknown Noureddine Morceli (1990).
110m hurdles: American Mark Crear, Briton Tony Jarrett and first Slovak world champs medallist Igor Kovac, should make for a thrilling race;
400m hurdles: Samuel Matete is running here for 6th time in row (he won 4 times before), his biggest opponent should be Russian Ruslan Mashchenko.
Steeplechase : world record holder Bernard Barmasai faces Olympic champion Joseph Keter and other Kenyans
Shot: Buder versus Bagach
Women
1500 m: Sonia O´Sullivan is back and this time running against Kenyan Jackline Maranga, aiming to go under 4:05.
High jump: Two of best performers so far this year - Bulgarian sensation Venelina Veneva (2.03) and Romanian Monica Iagar (2.01).
Triple Jump: First clash of summer season between World Champion Sarka Kasparkova of Czech Republic and Britain’s Ashia Hansen, the world indoor record holder will unfortunately not take place as Hansen is sidelined due to a bruised heel.
Discus: All 3 Athens medallists there and a now healthy Olympic Champion Ilke Wyludda.
Alfons Juck for the IAAF
