Sean WallaceJones for IAAF
28 July 2000 – Oslo, Norway – A capacity crowd in Oslo’s renowned Bislett Stadium were treated to a new world record in the javelin and some great distance running this evening. They also saw Tatyana Kotova become the first person to notch up three wins in this year’s edition of the IAAF Golden League.
The crowd was cheering, the crescendo rising as Trine Solberg-Hattestad started her run towards the throwing zone and the roar split the skies when her javelin soared and soared before landing 69.48 metres from the throw line. A new World Record for Norway’s queen of the javelin.
Better still, the record throw came with her last attempt of the evening: "Fantastic!" said an elated Hattestad afterwards. "Before my last throw I knew that it was now or never.
" I knew it was possible. I had three or four throws around 65 metres. The last one was perfect.
"Today was my chance to give Bislett a world record. I did it"
Trine Hattestad’s record is the 62nd world record mark set in the Bislett stadium. Trine had set the previous World Record of 68.22 metres in the Rome leg of this year’s IAAF Golden League. This victory at home brings her to two wins in the IAAF Golden League.
Germany’s Tanja Damaske was second with 65.74 and Osleidis Menendez third with 65.05 metres.
Russia’s Tatyana Kotova followed her wins in Paris and Rome with a third win in this year’s edition of the IAAF Golden League.
On her sixth attempt the Russian cleared 7 metres to narrowly defeat Italy’s Fiona May, who was unable to better her first round attempt of 6.95 metres. Sweden’s Erica Johansson was third with 6.81m. Reigning World Champion Niurka Montalvo took fourth place with 6.63.
The winner of the US Olympic Trials shot put, Adam Nelson, confirmed that win here in Oslo this evening and entered the IAAF Golden League Jackpot stakes at the same time.
Nelson made it with his fifth attempt throw of 21.43 metres, taking over the lead set by CJ Hunter with his second put of 21.26. The 114kg Nelson may look almost slight alongside the mountainous husband of Marion Jones, who tips the scales at a tidy 135kg - "I try to tell myself that I’m bigger than I am," he laughs - but he leaves nothing to be desired when it comes to putting the shot. Of his five legal attempts (he fouled his sixth and last attempt), only his first put was under 20 metres. John Godina was clearly off-form, failing to produce a single put over 20 metres (8th with 19.65). Third place went to Yuriy Belonog from the Ukraine with 21.05m.
Success has not gone to the head of Nelson, the former World Junior Champion (1994) still rates Hunter highly: "He’s still the favourite for Sydney, he’s the Champ" he said after winning here. "I’m just the new guy on the block."
That’s as may be, but new boys learn fast. Adam Nelson is certainly someone to watch very closely in the coming weeks.
Suzy Hamilton-Favor had the crowd in Bislett on their feet as she finished the women’s 1500m in a new meeting record of 3:57.40, just 23 hundredths off the American record and the fastest time in the world this year by nearly 3 ½ seconds.
Of course, the fact that Suzy Hamilton has looks that could be the envy of many a film star did nothing to dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm as she steamed across the line and took her victory lap to the cheers of Bislett. She also now has a place in the Jackpot stakes.
"I love this kind of race. Its’s fair and honest with a tough pace from the first metre," said Hamilton after the race. "I knew I was in good shape, but under four minutes was better than I ever thought was possible today. And a win here at Bislett. What a day for me!"
Second placed Lidia Chojecka set a new Polish National Record with her performance of 3:59.22 and was closely followed across the line by Violeta Szekely-Beclea from Romania with 3:59.22.
Chojecka is also showing some great form this season, with a win in the Paris leg of the Golden League in the 3000m –not a Golden League event this year – where she clocked 8:33.35, the second fastest time in the world this year.
Kenya dominated an excellent 5000m, with victory and a place in the IAAF Golden League Jackpot stakes going to Sammy Kipketer in 12:55.03.
The field were tightly bunched for the first three thousand metres, led through the intermediates by David Kisang –1000m in 2:33.28 – and Martine Keino –2000m in 5:08.39 and 3000m in 7:44.91. Then it was the turn of Morocco’s Salah Hissou to take up the running, going through 4000m in 10.24.86, closely followed by a tight Kenyan pack of Kipketer, Mark Bett, Benjamin Limo and Luke Kosgei. The Kenyans made their break in the last lap, with Kipketer taking up the lead as they rounded the bend into the home straight. Bett kicked strongly as they approached the line, but Kipketer held off the attack to take the tape.
Two national records were set in this race, with Belgium’s Mohammed Mourhit runnig 12:56.60 in sixth place and neo-Frenchman Ismail Sghyr clocking 12:58.83 in seventh place.
18-year old Kipketer, who once again narrowly missed setting a World Junior record with his run, was nonetheless satisfied: " It was a good run. I feel in very good shape. If I can continue this without injuries I have a good hope for the 5000m in Sydney.
"My strength is in the last 200 metres. In the Olympics anything can happen. I hope it will go my way".
Gail Devers was splendid in the women’s 100 metre hurdles, a lesson in power and style.
Putting all her attention on this event after failing to qualify on the flat, 33-year old Devers marked her personal best of 12.33 in the US Trials and was a convincing winner here with a time of 12.56, a new meeting record.
The three-time world champion over the sticks already has two Olympic golds to her credit on the flat (1992 and 1996) and looks to have the condition to top these off with hurdles gold in Sydney.
Not the fastest off the blocks, Devers accelerated to the lead as the field hit the first hurdle and steamed down the track to the finish, holding off challenges from Jamaica’s Michelle Freeman and Glory Alozie of Nigeria. Devers’ win gave her her second IAAF Golden League victory of the 2000 series. Alozie took second place with 12.69, Freeman was third in 12.84.
"For me, 12.56 today was a good time," said Devers. "Actually, it’s my third best this summer.
"Technically I did a lot of mistakes and I am surprised that the result was that good. After missing the US team in the 100m, I will be a full time hurdler now!"
Zhanna Pintusevich-Block (UKR) added another Golden League win to her tally in the women’s 100 metres flat.
The former 200m World Champion showed strongly out of the blocks and tore down the field, as France’s Christine Arron vainly tried to regain the ground she had lost with a slow start. But it was Pintusevich who had the advantage and held it to the line, which she crossed in 10.93 a stride and a dip ahead of Arron with 11.12. Chryste Gaines (USA) was third in 11.27.
In the men’s hundred, it was the turn of Ato Boldon to stake a claim to the IAAF Golden League Jackpot.
After false starting once, the athlete from Trinidad got off to a lightning start at the second attempt before pulling into the lead ahead of Brian Lewis (the winner of the event in Paris) and Tim Montgomery. Looking extremely powerful, Boldon powered to a finishing time of 10 seconds flat, with Lewis timed at 10.12 and Montgomery 10.14. Boldon later won the 200m in 20.26.
Cathy Freeman literally left the field standing in the women’s 400m. Strong out of the blocks, the lithe Australian completely outclassed the rest of the field. Pulling strongly away from the start, Freeman was never challenged during the race and eased right up twenty metres out from the finish, crossing the line in a leisurely 50.74.
Even a Marie-Jose Perec back on her best form will have her work cut out to challenge Australia’s strongest hope for gold in Sydney, it was certainly beyond the capabilities of anyone in tonight’s field. Second-placed Suziann Reid (USA) came in nearly a full second behind Freeman with 51.62. Monique Hennigan, also from the USA, was third in 51.70.
Vyacheslav Voronin (RUS) was the winner of the High jump, his second win in this year’s Golden League Jackpot, following his success in Rome. Voronin cleared 2.31 metres at his third attempt at the height to beat Wolfgang Kreissig (GER) and Staffan Strand (SWE), who both cleared 2.28 before three failures at 2.31. Kriessig took the advantage on countback.
The men’s pole vault competition was won by Jean Galfione (FRA) returning to competition form after a recent operation for a collapsed lung. After a lacklustre outing in the Nice Grand Prix, Galfione was looking good here in Oslo, just his third competition since his operation. Unfortunately his main rival, World Champion Maxim Tarasov withdrew from the competition after receiving a blow to the face from his pole after a faulty vault at Galfione’s winning height of 5.80 metres. Tarasov currently has two Golden League wins to his credit and Galfione enters the stakes with his win here this evening.
Eric Thomas added to his Golden League tally with his second win in the 400m hurdles. Previously a winner in Rome, the American beat Samuel Matete (ZAM) across the line in 48.66 to 48.90. Pawel Januszewski of Poland was third in 49.24.
In the final event of the evening, Hicham El Guerrouj took his second step up the ladder to the Golden League jackpot by winning the Exxon Mobil dream mile. Vaunted as an attempt at the World Record he already owns, El Guerrouj ran well, but was off the pace as he went into the last lap and had to settle for a time of 3:46.24. William Chirchir (KEN) was second in 3:47.94 and John Kibowen third in 3:49.87.
Kevin Sullivan set a new Canadian record with his fourth place time of 3:50.26.
