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News20 Jul 2002


Women 5000 metres Final

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Women 5000 metres Final

It looked as though Galina Ignateyeva (RUS) had declared herself the pacemaker for the women’s 5000 metres, as she led the field through 1000 metres in 3:09.20, 2000 metres in 6:22.02 and 3000 metres in 9:42.17 before falling back as she succumbed to the heat and humidity to let China’s Yuhong Zhang take over the position in front of the pack

Behind Ignateyeva and then following on Zhang’s heels were Kenyans Frida Domongole and Vivian Cheruiyot, with their great Ethiopian rivals Meserret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba.

Yuhong went through 4000 metres in the lead in 12:58.66 and the pack stayed together for the next 400 metres before the East African moved ahead of the lone Chinese athlete.

With the bell sounding, Cheruiyot turned up the pace and followed by the Ethiopian due broke away with Zhang still holding on in the rear. Coming into the home straight it was still Cheruiyot and then the Ethiopians hit the gas pedal and overtook the Kenyan to head for home with Defar in the lead and gradually pulling ahead of Dibaba.

Cheruiyot tried to hold on, with Zhang attempting to come back behind her, but she could not resist the Ethiopian’s finishing kick and this running order was held across the finish line, with Defar finishing first in 15:54.94, Dibaba 2nd in 15:55.99, Cheruiyyot 3rd in 15:56.04 and Zhang 4th in 15:58.20.

Back in 10th position, Korea’s Jin-Sook Chang ran a national junior record of 16:17.56.

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