Posted: June 8, 2004

Athletics: Bekele 26:20.31 WR, Upset Win For Webb In Ostrava

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak

OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC -- For the second time in as many weeks, Kenenisa Bekele shattered yet another distance record while Alan Webb’s breakthrough season continued with an upset win in the 1500 to highlight the distance portion of the Golden Spike Super Grand Prix in Ostrava.

Just eight days after his sterling 12:37.35 world record in Hengelo, Bekele eclipsed another of Haile Gebrselassie’s six-year-old global standards, clocking 26:20.31 in the 10,000 meters, more than two seconds faster than the previous mark.

While expectations were certainly high, the effort was hardly a certainty for the young Ethiopian, who will celebrate his 22nd birthday on June 12. “I knew I would break the world record only in the last lap,” he said. With the capacity crowd of more than 20,000 eagerly urging him on, Bekele covered the final lap in a stunning 57.2 seconds to finish what was yet another largely solo undertaking by the three time double World Cross Country champion.

Pacesetter Martin Keino performed his task adequately, guiding Bekele through the first 3000 meters in 7:55.97, about two seconds shy of his intended 7:54. Sensing the slowing pace, Bekele forged to the lead for good just two laps later, reaching 4000 meters in 10:37.73, more than six seconds behind the pace in Gebreselassie’s 1998 record run. Running comfortably and exhibiting relentless grace, Bekele began to steadily narrow the gap. The pre-race plan called for a 13:10 half; Bekele clocked 13:14.42, two-and-a-half seconds off pace. Then with robot-like precision, Bekele consistently churned out successive 63 to 64-second laps, and by the eight kilometer, was ahead of his mentor’s mark by more than four seconds. Lapping virtually the entire field, Bekele’s final kilometer –clocked in 2:21.96—was like an obstacle course as he weaved around runners before running wide down the homestretch and yet again into the record books. Bekele also pocketed a $50,000 bonus for his effort.

As in Hengelo, the rest of the field was well behind. Gebre Gebremariam was a distant second in an impressive “non-Bekele” clocking of 26:53.73, a personal best, with Qatari Abdullah Ahmad Hassan third in 27:15.03.

With a brief late afternoon shower clearing the air, the late spring conditions were suited perfectly for a fast race, and Bekele eagerly responded. “The weather was to my expectations,” he said, “not to hot and not too cold. The atmosphere at the stadium was fantastic.”

Judging from yet another solo display, how much faster he can go remains anyone’s guess. And Bekele isn’t making any predictions.

“Can I break 26 minutes? Only God knows,” he said, indicating that he is still planning to contest only the 10,000 at the Olympic Games.

With the strongest field of the season assembled, a world leading time was expected in the men’s 1500, but the upset winner, American Alan Webb, provided perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening. Running just a few steps behind pacesetter Roman Oravec from the gun, the 21-year-old moved to the front for good when Oravec completed his chore to reach the line in 3:32.73, the fourth personal best for Webb this season in as many races.

I felt really good,” said the jubilant Webb, whose breakthrough season is finally fulfilling the promise he showed when he broke the U.S. high school mile record three years ago. “I just raced away. I figured, I’ll either die and run fast, or I’ll win and run fast. Right now, I just can’t seem to not take time off. When the rabbit dropped off, I just hammered it. I was waiting for someone to come, and no one did, so with 150 to go, I gave it everything I had and I held on.” After his mini European tour, Webb has decided to skip Friday’s Golden League race in Bergen, Norway, and will return home to prepare for the Prefontaine Classic on June 19.

With his now-typical late race surge, Ivan Hesko finished second in 3:32.88, ahead of Timothy Kiptanui (PB 3:33.34), Bernard Lagat (3:33.61) and Ali Saidi-Sief (3:33.89).

Maria Mutola came to Ostrava with two specific goals in mind: setting a new meet record with a world-leading time. With her dominating 1:57.72 performance, knocking four one-hundredths of second from Jolanda Ceplak’s year-old Ostrava record, it was mission accomplished for the reigning World and Olympic champion. Sultana Ait Hammou was a distant second in 2:00.07.

Vitkovice Stadium has become synonymous with fast times in the women’s steeplechase, and this year’s edition was not an exception. Cristina Casandra’s 9:34.36 win was the fastest run of the year, while runner-up Docus Inzikuru, the pacemaker, reached the line in 9:37.41, an African record. Bouchra Chaabi of Morocco was third in 9:42.20, a national record.

While not the world-leading performance anticipated, world champion Saif Said Shaheen of Qatar made his 8:11.54 win in the men’s race appear effortless, handily defeating Ezekiel Kemboi (8:14.93) with a blazing last lap. American Dan Lincoln finished fourth with a personal best 8:17.93.

With a perfectly executed kick, Ukrainian Irina Lishchinska powered past Lidia Chojecka of Poland and Briton Kelly Holmes in the final 20 meters to win the women’s 1500 in 4:03.74, an effort that finally broke Grete Waitz’s 27-year-old meet record. Chojecka (4:04.15) barely held off Holmes (4:04.18) to finish second.

Elsewhere, Stacy Dragila thrust herself back to the top of the women’s pole vault picture after her third attempt clearance of 4.83, the highest ever outdoor performance. [Note: The IAAF doesn’t differentiate between indoor and outdoor marks in the pole vault, thus Yelena Isinbayeva’s 4.86 clearance at the World Indoor Championships in March is still considered the world record. The previous outdoor best was 4.82, set by Isinbayeva last year.]