AFP
28 May 2000 – Hengelo, Netherlands – With the Adriaan Paulen Memorial Grand Prix II meeting cancelled due to gale force winds, several hypothesis were put forward as to what would happen next.
Elite athlete co-ordinator of the meeting Jos Hermens stated that the financial repercussions from cancelling would have to be analysed before it could be determined if the meeting would take place later in the season. Notably during the second half of July or 20 August, the date reserved for the Cologne meeting, cancelled earlier this year. It was also suggested that a scaled down meeting may take place on Wednesday, reserved only for middle-distance races.
Hermens, who is also distance king Haile Gebrselassie’s manager, is certain that that the Ethiopian World and Olympic Champion would be willing to stay a few more days in Hengelo, such is his desire to "run and test his performance".
Gebrselassie announced just before the Hengelo meeting on Sunday that he would only take part in four competitions before the Sydney Olympics, where he will be defending his 10,000m title.
"I will run in Nuremberg (Germany 25 June), London (5 July) and Zurich (Switzerland, 11 August), probably only at 5000m ", said the 5000m and 10,000m world record holder. In the Netherlands he hoped to race 3000m as a test for his current form.
Suffering from an Achilles tendon problem since the World Championships in August last year, "Gebre" only started training seriously in January.
Compatriot Gete Wami will also have a slim competition calendar leading up to the Olympics. The 10,000m World Champion was expected to take part in the 5000m in Hengelo.
"She will be lining up for several Golden League and Grand Prix meetings to mark up points to take part in the Grand Prix Final in Doha, Qatar on October 5, but will not compete after the Weltklasse Zurich (11 August)", said her manager Jos Hermens, clarifying that "in any case, the Ethiopian team will be at training camp in Ethiopia soon after the Zurich meeting".
Gabriela Szabo will be making her first outdoor season appearance in Eugene (USA) on 24 June over 1500m, reported her manager Jos Hermens. Until then, the 5000m World Champion will be based in Potchofstroom, South Africa, a one and a half hour drive from Johannesburg, where she is training and working on improving her English by living with a local family.
Greene in Italy. The USA’s Maurice Greene, World 100m champion and record holder of the same distance will take part in two meetings in Italy: Milan on 7 June, and Turin on June 10.