Posted: March 11, 2006

Athletics: Favorites Advance, Two Middle Distance Titles Up For Grabs Tonight

From David Monti

© 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak

MOSCOW – With few surprises emerging from the qualifying rounds, the stage is set for several compelling matches and rematches when the 11th IAAF World Indoor resumes today.

In their first competition since their remarkable performances at the Russian Indoor championships last month, Yelena Sobeleva and Yuliya Chizenko advanced easily to tomorrow's final in the 1500 meters, setting up the pair's highly anticipated meeting with young Bahraini Maryam Yusef Jamal, last year’s breakout middle distance star.

Sobeleva, who lowered the World record to 3:58.28, moved to the front in the final 100 meters to finish second in 4:14.51, just behind Maria Martins of France (4:14.34). Corina Dumbravean, Romania’s 21-year-old European Under-23 champion, took the third automatic qualifying spot in 4:14.76.

Chizhenko, whose 4:01.26 at the Russian championships propelled her to the number six spot all-time, controlled her own destiny in the first heat, winning in 4:09.92, just one one-hundredth ahead of Jamal. The Ethiopian-born Jamal has a 4:01.82 to her credit this season.

“I knew I had to be in the top three today, which is why I kept the entire race under control,’ said Chizhenko, who lost the silver medal at last summer’s World Championships in Helsinki after her disqualification for obstructing Jamal. “Tomorrow the situation in the final will be more difficult and interesting.”

Iryna Lischynska won the blanket finish tussle for the final automatic spot, clocking 4:10.12. Hind Dehiba (4:10.73) of France, American Treniere Clement (4:11.64) and Nahida Touhami (4:12.09) of Algeria all advanced to tomorrow’s final. Tiffany McWilliams, who led the slower of the two heats for until the final lap, faded to sixth over the final 100 meters. Her 4:15.80 performance was not enough to move on.

Of the entire field of nine in tomorrow's final, none were in the final in Budapest two years ago.

With just 13 entrants, yesterday’s first round of the women’s 3000 meters was cancelled. The final, featuring recently-minted world record holder Liliya Shobukhova of Russia, kicks off the evening portion of today’s program at 16:15 (8 a.m. Eastern).

With their 8:27.86 and 8:29.00 performances in Moscow last month, both Shobukhova and compatriot Olesya Syreva dipped under the previous world record in the event, 8:29.15 set by Berhane Adere of Ethiopia in 2002. Adere is not in Moscow, but her compatriot Meseret Defar, the defending champion and 2004 Olympic champion at 5000 meters, is. While note quite as fast as the Russian pair, Defar has produced two sub-8:31 efforts this winter.

In yesterday’s qualifying round, world leader Daniel Kipchirchir Komen showed he was the man to beat with his comfortable 3:39.64 win, the only sub-3:40 performance of the evening.

“After what happened to me in Helsinki last year, when I was eliminated in the heats, I was determined to take the lead and not be boxed in by other runners,” said Komen, still just 21.

Ivan Heshko, the reigning silver medallist, practiced his kick in the second heat, en route to a 3:41.49 win. Heshko, who has competed sparingly this winter, said he was slowed by an early season foot injury, and is on the mend.

“It is still not 100 percent,” the Ukrainian said, “but I think I can fight with the best ones.”

Chris Lukezic of the U.S. produced a personal best 3:40.97 in his heat to advance on time.

Also on the program are the semi-finals of both the men’s and women’s 800 meters. In the men’s race, Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy and defending champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi of South Africa continue their quest to become just the second two-time winners, while Kenyan Wilfred Bungei is still seeking his first major international title. Notable non-qualifiers in yesterday’s first round included reigning bronze medallist Osmar Barbosa dos Santos of Brazil, and 2003 champion David Krummenacker.

Besides the disqualification of U.S. champion Alice Schmidt, the opening round of the women’s race pretty much followed the script. Six-time winner Maria Mutola, World and Olympic silver medallist Hasna Benhassi, world leader Olga Kotlyarova, and France’s Elisabeth Grousselle were the heat winners.

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