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IAAF.org: Great races in Oslo

2005-07-30

At the third Golden League Meeting in Oslo's New Bislett stadium, Norway Britain’s Jo Pavey was the one pushing the pace in the women’s 3000m with two laps to go, leading a trio of Africans – Maryam Yusuf Jamal, now of Bahrain but formerly an Ethiopian, Gete Wami (ETH) and Isabella Ochichi (KEN). The Briton had taken over from the Russian pace maker Olga Komyagina who led through the earlier rounds (1000m 2:48; 2000m 5:38), and Pavey’s decision to keep the race lively was eventually to be rewarded with third place and a European season’s lead of 8:33.79.

Just after the bell it was Jamal, one of only three women this year to have gone under 4mins for the 1500m, who used her speed to break from her three opponents. Ochichi, the Olympic 5000m silver medallist tried to respond, and also easily slipped past Pavey but she never made any impact on the Bahraini.

Jamal crossed the line for an emphatic victory, a world season’s lead of 8:28.87, which was also a Bahraini national record. Ochichi was second in her summer’s best (8:31.42), and after Pavey came home, Gete Wami crossed in 8:36.22. Notable in fifth was a personal best by Norway’s Susanne Wigene (8:41.34).

Fast men’s Mile

It was to be the Arabian Gulf’s night in the middle distances, as the final event of the evening, the ExxonMobil Dream Mile, also went to an Arab state, this time Qatar, with Najem Dahame Bashir, the former Kenyan David Nyaga, winning in a world leading time of 3:47.97, which was also an Area record.

In a fast race there was a season’s best for Bernard Lagat (second 3:48.38), PB’s for Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (third 3:48.49) and USA’s Alan Webb (fourth 3:48.92). Area records also fell to Craig Mottram of Australia with 3:48.98 (fifth) and Hudson de Souza of Brazil (eighth 3:51.05). Sixth place, and the last man under 3:50 this evening, went to Tarek Boukensa (3:49.95 PB). Britain’s Nick McCormick with 3:52.05 established a European 2005 lead.

Earlier in the evening both Norway’s Marius Bakken and USA’s Tim Broe had tried similar tactics in the men’s 5000m, to those which Pavey later employed in the women's 3000m, by doing their best to resist the inevitable African onslaught. They led with two laps to go but were eventually swallowed up, with John Kibowen the winner in 13:07.74, squeezing out Moses Mosop on the line (13:07.81). Commonwealth champion Sammy Kipketer was third (13:09.16).

Andrianova continues in role as World title favourite

Tatyana Andrianova proved again that she is currently the strongest and most intelligent racer in the women’s 800m. Already the world season leader (1:56.07) she came close to that mark with a well timed win in 1:56.91, after staying distant from the opening pace (55.43 – 400m). In a similar manner to her win on Tuesday in Stockholm, when she unleashed her final kick there was no one with the pick-up to answer. Also impressive was Olga Kotlyarova who until this summer had been better known as a 400m runner, as an Olympic and World finalist, but who can now consider herself fully established as a racer at 800m thanks to her second place, 1:57.55 PB, which improved on her 1:57.98 from last season. In third was Svetlana Cherkasova (1:57.86), with USA’s Hazel Clark also under 1:58 with a PB of 1:57.99. Another Russian Svetlana Klyuka was also under 2 minutes (1:58.44).

Mulaudzi reverses Athens fortunes

The men’s 800m was not the speed display of the women’s two laps. As throughout the rest of this summer, the men are just not flying. In the end it came down to a fine sprint duel between the Olympic gold and silver medallists from last summer, respectively Yuriy Borzakovskiy and Mbulaena Mulaudzi. This time the victory was reversed, as the Russian was caught on the line by a lower dipping South African, but it was a very close to call – 1:44.15 to 1:44.18.

Emphasising the low state of the event this year, Borzakovskiy’s time in second was a European lead. Alfred Kirwa Yego was third in a personal best of 1:44.45. Canada’s Gary Reed in fourth improved the national record with 1:44.54. Mulaudzi had also won in Helsinki last Monday (25) with what remains the current world’s fastest of 2005 – 1:44.08.