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By Bob Ramsak
ZURICH – The skies cleared this morning, giving organizers of the 77th Weltklasse, for years perhaps the premiere stop on the international circuit, hope that the final competition held in the “old” Letzigrund stadium will be as memorable as many of those that preceded it. For middle and long distance fans, the focus will be on Saif Saaeed Shaheen, who will be chasing his own world record of 7:53.63 in the 3000 meter steeplechase, Tirunesh Dibaba’s continued pursuit of a slice of the $1 million Golden League Jackpot, and Kenenisa Bekele’s drive for five wins in the six-meet series.
-- Shaheen’s world record chase
"I think I can break the world record," Shaheen told a press conference here on Wednesday. "Times between 7:55-8:00 are not interesting to me. The most important thing is to have good pacemakers.”
The three pacemakers have been assigned there duties as such: Simon Vroemen, the European record holder, is to go through 1000 meters in 2:36; Kenyan John Langat through 2000 in 5:14 to 5:15; with Kenyan Richard Matelong to carry on from there. In his world record race in Brussels in 2004, the 2000 meter intermediate time was 5:18.09.
Shaheen hasn’t raced since his 12:51.98 runner-up finish to Kenenisa Bekele at Rome’s Golden Gala a month ago. Shaheen said he’s just completed his finest-ever series of workouts, and hopes to erase the memory of his last appearance in Zurich. Last year, Shaheen slipped off the final water jump and landed flat on the track, a tumble he estimated that cost him at least five seconds. He still won in 8:02.69, exactly eight seconds ahead of Brimin Kipruto. A US$ 50,000 world record bonus, plus a kilogram of gold, is on offer. (At this morning’s valuation, that 1 kg gold bar is worth approximately $US 21, 707.)
-- Dibaba’s morning boost
Tirunesh Dibaba, Ethiopia’s reigning double world champion, received some good news this morning, at least as far as her assault for a slice of the Golden League Jackpot is concerned. Her primary rival in the 5000, world record holder Meseret Defar, won’t be competing tonight after travel delays prevented here from reaching Zurich.
While Dibaba held off Defar in the previous two Golden League fixtures in Paris and Rome, Defar came out the winner in a tactical race at the African Championships last week in Mauritius.
“The race was good, it was very competitive,” said Defar. “I had a very good run with Meseret, but finally in the finish she got it.”
Dibaba describes Defar as a friend everywhere, but on the track. “We have a very good relationship, we spend a great deal of time together, we are good friends.” And she was very pleased that Defar reclaimed the world record for Ethiopia with her 12:24.53 run in New York in June and said there was absolutely no jealousy. “I was happy for Meseret to get the world record,” she said. “The only thing I can do is break it next time.”
Dibaba said had while her training specifics haven’t changes as such, the intensity of her workouts has been stepped up a notch. Not that she can describe in detail what her workouts consist of. “Our coach usually gives us different types of workouts, so I just do what he tells us. I don’t know the specifics,” she said, laughing.
Possessing a brutal kick, she also laughs at the suggestion that she could run a 52 or 53 second 400 with fresh legs. “I’ve never tried it, but I don’t think I can.” Nor will she speculate as to what her 800 or 1500 speed could be, but did say, “I’m thinking about trying a 1500.”
With Defar missing, the strongest contenders to take a spoiler role are are Kenyan Edith Masai and another Ethiopian, Meselech Melkamu. Pace setter Olga Kimyagina has been asked to bring the field through 2000 meters in 5:45.
- Bekele’s drive for five
For Kenenisa Bekele, staying alive in his drive for five wins in the six-meet series, thus a shot at a slice of a $500,000 pie, will not be a Sunday jog around the Zurich See. The Paris and Rome winner, Bekele will again face Oslo’s Bislett winner Isaac Songok, along with perennial threat Eliud Kipchoge. In their last meeting, Bekele managed to dispense with Songok’s late-race challenge in Rome, but in his follow up race in London, was handily defeated by American Bernard Lagat.
Contrary to some published accounts, Bekele is not chasing his world of 12:37.35, said Valentijn Trouw of Global Sports Management, the firm that represents the Ethiopian. Bekele has said repeatedly that this summer was not one for records, but for the jackpot chase.
The pre-race plan is for a swift race, with Charles Bett taking the field through 2:23 for the first 1000 meters, and Boniface Songok reaching 3000 in 7:38.
- Elsewhere
Despite that successful outing over 5000 meters in the British capital last month, Lagat will be returning to more familiar 1500 meter territory in Zurich, returning one last time to the track where, just prior to the 2004 Olympics, he ended Hicham El Guerrouj’s eight-year Zurich win steak. Defending champion Daniel Kipchirchir Komen, whose 3:29.02 victory in the Rome paces the world this season, appears to be the man to beat.
If the pacemakers will be followed, the race promises to be a fast one. Philemon Kimutai is to take the field through the first 800 in 1:50.00, with Elkaneh Angwenyi’s duties calling for a 2:17-2:18 pace for the first kilometer and 2:46-2:47 through three laps. In his 1998 3:26.00 world record run, El Guerrouj came through 1200 in 2:46.34.
The two sections of the men’s 800 includes seven men who have dipped under 1:44 this year, led by world leader Amine Laalou (1:43.25) of Morocco. Two-time defending champion Wilfred Bungei (1:43.59) this year will be looking to equal world record holder Wilson Kipketer’s three consecutive wins, a record in Zurich. After skipping the European championships, Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy, the season’s second fastest, returns to action, as does American Khadevis Robinson, who also joined the sub-1:44 club this season. Dutchman Bram Som and David Fiegen of Luxembourg resume international competition after finishing first and second at the European Championships, but for the latter, there was no room in the A race.
The women’s 800 is expected to fast as well, pitting two recently crowned continental champions: European winner Olga Kotlyarova of Russia, and world leader Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya, who raced to the African title last week. Cuba’s World champion Zuliya Calatayud, the winner in Rome, faces her toughest challenge of the year facing a field that also includes rising stars Kenia Sinclair from Jamaica and Tetyana Petlyuk of Ukraine. Hasna Benhassi, the silver medallist at both the World championships and Olympic Games, is always a threat. Notably missing is Maria Mutola, who has won here a remarkable 12 consecutive times, from 1993 to 2004.
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