Posted: July 2, 2005

Athletics: Golden League Kicks Off With Fast Times In Paris

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak

PARIS (01-Jul) -- A valiant world record attempt by Kenenisa Bekele in the 5000m and world leading performances in the men's 1500m and women's 3000m highlighted the distance program of the Golden League kick-off at the Gaz de France meeting tonight in the French capital.

"I am pleased," Bekele said after his 12:40.18 performance, less than three seconds shy of his 12:37.35 world record set in May 2004, but still the fourth-fastest performance ever. "There was too much wind. But it was a good race."

While polite, his modest assessment wasn't quite accurate, since his was primarily a solo effort from the moment he dropped compatriot Abebe Dinkesa when the pair reached the 3000 meter point in an ambitious 7:32.71. After a string of successive 60 to 61-second laps in the early going, Bekele slowed a notch in the latter stages, knocking off a series of 62-second laps. Urged on by the enthusiastic crowd of 70,253 that packed the Stade de France, the largest crowd ever assembled for a one-day athletics meeting, the 23-year-old Ethiopian closed with a 57.8 final lap.

"It would have been better if I beat the record," he said, "but I am not sad." Bekele said that despite his solid effort here, he hasn't changed his mind about not doubling at the World Championships in Helsinki. "No," he said, smiling, "only the 10,000 in Helsinki."

Dinkesa was a distant second in 12:55.58, leading four others (a total of six) under the 13 minute barrier.

At dinner the evening before the race, Bernard Lagat said that the absence of Hicham El Guerrouj would not preclude a fast race in the men's 1500. With the top four finishers clocking better than 3:31, Lagat's prediction seemed accurate, as was his singling out of Daniel Kipchirchir Komen as possibly the next great metric miler.

The 20-year-old Kenyan, Lagat and French record holder Mehdi Baala followed in single file the two pace setters through 1200 meters, with Komen, the season's fastest (3:30.77) coming into the meet, looking by far the most relaxed. In the end, he was never challenged en route to his 3:30.01 world leader and personal best. Lagat, who was briefly passed by the Frenchman on the final lap, surged back into the runner-up spot in the final 50 meters to reach the line in 3:30.64 to Baala's 3:30.80. Alex Kipchirchir, another 20-year-old Kenyan, was fourth in 3:30.82.

"I won the Kenyan trials, so I was confident enough," Komen said, "but I was not sure about a win here because I had to beat Bernard Lagat and Mehdi Baala. So I'm happy with the victory."

Crossing the line a few strides back was New Zealander Nick Willis, whose 3:32.38 broke John Walker's 3:32.40 national record set in 1975 in Oslo.

The women's 3000m was a brief tussle between Kenyans Edith Masai and Isabella Ochichi, until Masai, who at 38 is showing no sign of slowing down, took control at the bell en route to a commanding 8:31.27 win, another world leader.

Ochichi, the Olympic 5000 meter silver medallist, took the lead with three laps to go, but was unable to shake Masai, while tiny Russian Yelena Zadorozhnaya leading the chase pack in third. Briton Jo Pavey, who briefly jumped into the lead near the 1000 meter point, passed the fading Zadorozhnaya in the final straight to finish third in 8:34.66, more than a second behind Ochichi (8:33.59). In all, eight women broke 8:45.

In the women's 800m, world leader Svetlana Cherkasova ran a powerful second lap en route to her 1:57.52 win. Last year, the 27-year-old Russian ended Maria Mutola's two-year win streak in the event in Lausanne, but failed to reach the Olympic final. Continuing her gradual comeback, Cuban Zulia Calatayud was second in 1:58.37, easily holding off Mutola's finishing charge (1:58.96).

In the men's race, no one decided to follow pace setter Osmar Dos Santos, relegating the contest into a scramble down the homestretch. Latvian Dmitrijs Milkevics, the surprise winner at last month's NCAA Championships, led the tightly knit pack into the final straight, but quickly faded to sixth as William Yiampoy (1:45.98), Mbulaeni Mulaudzi 1:46.00) and Wilfred Bungei (1:46.25) all cruised by.

Olympic steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi won his race even handily with a season's best 8:09.14, well ahead of compatriot Wesley Kiprotich.

"I'm pleased," Kemboi said, "but I expected a better time. Now I have to go back to training in Kenya at altitude, to be fit and ready for the World Championships."

A week after dipping under four minutes for the first time, Olga Yegorova of Russia toyed with the field here with an easy 4:01.85 win in the 1500. Hind Dehiba of France was closest with a PB 4:03.05 for second. Britain's Helen Clitheroe got her World Championships "A" standard in sixth place, clocking 4:05.74.

The Golden League continues next Friday with the Golden Gala in Roma.