Posted: August 26, 2007

Athletics (RRW): Accident Mars Men's Steeplechase Qualifying

From David Monti © 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com OSAKA (26-Aug) -- An accident just one lap into the first heat marred the qualifying round for the men's 3000m steeplechase this morning at Nagai Stadium. As the athletes approached the turn-one barrier just after passing the finish line, veteran steeplechaser Günther Weidlinger of Austria tripped and fell forward. He fell so abruptly, and so close to the barrier that he did not have time to protect himself from the impact. He struck the barrier at full speed with the left side of his face, which violently snapped his head back, depositing him on the track under the barrier on his back. Weidlinger appeared conscious, putting his hand on his face, but he seemed motionless when he was removed from the track on a stretcher. There was no immediate report available on his condition. Weidlinger's fall forced American Tom Brooks to dive over the barrier like a gymnast, doing a forward roll on the track. He was able to get back into the race, but finished last in 8:56.20, ending his first World Championships. Sweden's Henrik Skoog also went down in the same incident and he finished second to last in 8:51.61. The ill-fated heat was won by Tareq Mubarak Taher of Bahrain, the athlete who was recently stripped of his 2005 World Youth 2000m steeplechase title for falsifying his age. He clocked 8:19.99 ahead of Abdelkader Hachlaf of Morocco and Ezekiel Kemboi of Kenya as the top-3 finishers in each heat automatically advanced to Tuesday's final. Fourth place finsher Bouabdallah Tahri of France advanced on time. The second heat ended up being the slowest and only delivered three qualifiers: Richard Matelong of Kenya, Nahom Mesfin Tariku of Ethiopia and Brahim Taleb of France. Matelong clocked an energy-saving 8:29.49. Six qualifiers came from the third and final heat, led by reigning Olympic silver medalist Brimin Kipruto of Kenya (8:21.93). Halil Akkas of Turkey (8:22.37) and Mustafa Mohamed of Sweden (8:22.80) rounded out the top-3. Middle distance action returns to the track tonight with the women's 800m semi-finals. Defending champion Zulia Calatayud of Cuba will be in action in heat 2 and the silver medalist from Helsinki, Hasna Benhassi of Morocco, will be lining up in heat 3. Update - Günther Weidlinger's Condition The Austrian team doctor Andreas Kröner has issued a statement on steeplechaser Günther Weidlinger who struck his head on a steeplechase barrier earlier today in heat one of the qualifying round: "I was with Günther Wedlinger all the time when he was taken to hospital. The athlete has sustained injuries of the lower lip and jaw which have been stitched. In the last 30 minutes he has been mostly well. He is now fully conscious and can think and speak clearly. There is no damage to the teeth or the head. A computer tomography was made of the skull and cervical vertebrae and no injury was detected. The athletes will remain in observation for one night in hospital." Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest