Posted: July 28, 2004

Athletics: Ramzi, Shaheen Defeated, Miles-Clark Victorious In Stockholm

From David Monti

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

By Bob Ramsak

STOCKHOLM – With losses by heavy favorites Rashid Ramzi and Saif Saaeed Shaheen, little went according to conventional wisdom in the distance events at the DN Galan Super Grand Prix in Stockholm.

The heavily favored and swift-kicking Ramzi, who led a parade of runners past world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj at Rome’s Golden Gala earlier this month, was solidly defeated in the 1500 by another pair of fierce kickers – Ukraine’s Ivan Heshko (3:35.31) and Kenyan Alex Kipchirchir (3:35.50). Choosing to stay well behind the pacemakers, Heshko and Ramzi controlled the actual race for nearly 1200 meters, until Kipchirchir joined the duo and passed the 24-year-old Ramzi on the final turn. In the end, Ramzi’s kick was no match for his opponent’s finishing strength, and barely managed to hold off Spaniard Alvaro Fernandez for third, clocking 3:35.57.

But the earlier ‘A’ Race was even faster. Ethiopian teenager Mulugeta Wendimu, a 5000 meter specialist, outkicked Benjamin Kipkirui en route to a 3:32.39 win, nearly a full second ahead of the Kenyan and a personal best by nearly six seconds.

Americans Charlie Gruber and Jason Lunn came up short in their chase for the 3:36.00 Olympic ‘A’ standard. Running near the back of the pack for much of race, Gruber made a move with 600 meters to go to gain some ground on the leaders, and finished a distant fourth in 3:38.02. Jason Lunn was even farther back, finishing seventh in 3:44.71. “My legs just felt really heavy,” Lunn told his manager Mark Whetmore. Whetmore said Lunn will continue the standard chase on Sunday at the KBC Night of Athletics Grand Prix II meet in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium. Gruber will also compete in the Belgian meet, where a 3:33 pace has been requested.

In the men’s 5000, heavily-favored Saif Saaeed Shaheen was toying with the field, equally at ease running in the middle of pack, near the front or, in the latter stages, from the front. But disaster struck with 700 meters to go. Running a step behind Abderrahim Goumri, the Kenyan-born Qatari was clipped hard on the shin by the Morrocan’s spikes, dropping him to the track, and essentially out of the race. Kenyan Boniface Songok took best advantage of the situation to win handily in 13:01.47 ahead of Qatari Ahmed Abdullah’s 13:02.03. After lying flat on the track for at least ten seconds, Shaheen raced on, and eventually finished 10th in 13:14.65.

“I’m not sure how it happened, it was so quick,” said Shaheen, the former Stephen Cherono, adding that the contact with Goumri was clearly unintentional. Shrugging his shoulders, he added, “What can you do? I was going for sub-12:55. I was ready.” Shaheen, the reigning world champion in the steeplechase, will contest his specialty in Zurich’s Weltklasse on August 6.

With 2,000-euro lap bonuses at stake in the latter portion of the race, there was some entertaining jostling for position, amusing shifts in speed, and vicious glances as well.

A much-touted assault on the stadium record in the steeplechase didn’t materialize, but an outlet for Paul Kipsiele Koech to display his world-leading form in the event did. Winning by nearly ten seconds, Koech made his 8:03.10 win appear effortless. Compatriot Julius Nyamu was a distance second in 8:12.14. Sporting a new Mohawk haircut and with his forehead painted, Anthony Famiglietti finished ninth in 8:19.06.

Edith Masai earned the only one-karat diamond of the evening with her 8:40.02 win in the 3000 meters, breaking the stadium record set by Marie-Pierre Duros of France 13 years ago. Finishing a Kenyan podium sweep were Alice Timbilil (8:43.15) and Ines Chenonge (8:43.79).

Age is doing little to slow down U.S Trials champion Jearl Miles-Clark. The 37-year-old national record holder stormed down the homestretch en route to a 1:59.47 win in her first appearance since Sacramento. Hazel Clark and Nicole Teter most closely followed the pacer, reaching the bell in 57.72. Miles-Clark first passed sister-in-law Hazel with 250 meters to go, before reeling in Teter as the pair entered the homestretch. With Teter fading, Moroccans Hasna Benhassi (1:59.67) and Mina Ait Hammou (59.79) moved up in the final 10 meters to finish second and third.

Elsewhere, yet another notable win streak came to an end. Romanian Marian Oprea ended World triple jump champion Christian Olsson’s 29-meet streak with a 17.30 leap, edging the popular Swede on his home turf by just two centimeters.