Amna Bakhit of Sudan at the 2007 Pan Arab Games in Cairo (© /AFP)
Beijing, China As the “Good Luck Beijing 2008 China Athletics Open” drew to a close here tonight in the National Stadium, it took a 17-year-old barefoot runner from Sudan to bring overseas charm to a meeting dominated by home athletes with the daily spotlight on Liu Xiang.
In a tactical display that belied her age, Amna Bakhit scored a surprise victory in the women’s 800m. In an otherwise all-Chinese final, Bakhit denied Liu Qing an 800/1500m double in the final session of the four-day meeting staged as the official Olympic test event.
Just as Liu, the men’s Olympic 110m Hurdles champion, is a national hero in China, so is Abubaker Kaki in Sudan and he has been Bakhit’s inspiration. “Kaki is an idol of mine,” Bakhit said. “He is a hero of all Sudanese people. We are all proud of him and I admire him.”
Kaki, 18, became the youngest ever World Indoor champion in Valencia, in March, when he won the 800m, and he also set a World Junior indoor best for 1000m during the season. At the Pan Arab Games, in Cairo in November, he clocked a winning 1:43.90 while, on the same day, Bakhit won the women’s title in 2:07.95.
In a race that had the potential to be quicker, given that Liu is a sub two-minute runner, the athletes settled into a slow pace, reaching the bell in 64.36. Bakhit surveyed her prey from near the back, moving up to 5th with 200m to go. Hitting the front 150m from home, she left a line of seven Chinese with a view of her back down the home straight.
Although Bakhit’s time (2:06.44) will make no international impact – especially in the wake of Pamela Jelimo’s 1:55.76 in Hengelo on Saturday – it was delightful to see such raw talent breaking through. Liu, having won the 1500m on Friday, had to settle for second place in 2:06.81.
The Olympic News Service preview, issued on the opening day of the competition, had suggested that “Liu Qing should not be troubled in either of her pet events”. It proved the case in the1500m, which she won by 15m, but Bakhit pounced from the shadows. “I was surprised to win but only a little bit,” she said.
First test for Olympic hosts complete
Although China’s final trials for the Olympics do not take place until 27 June, this meeting will heavily influence the make-up of the team. However, despite 800 Chinese athletes taking part here, there was no startling breakthrough. Nobody new pressed the button saying: “Watch out for me in three months time.”
That leaves the host nation looking thin on the ground for medal contenders 12 weeks out from the start of the athletics programme. Liu (men’s 110m Hurdles) and the women’s marathon’s marathon team are in the front line. Next come Zhang Wenxiu (women’s Hammer Throw) and Li Yanfeng and Song Aimin (women’s Discus Throw).
Few other performances here even hinted at a possible medal in August. Stretching the imagination, one might include Zhang Li (women’s Javelin Throw) and Huang Xiaoxiao (women’s 400m Hurdles). Zhang won today by almost five metres (62.09), a performance which she described as “beyond my expectation”.
Although the stream of supportive comments from the Chinese athletes ran contrary to the views of Valerie Vili, the women’s Shot Put world champion, from New Zealand, who complained about training and in-stadium facilities, an American view was offered today by Sandra Farmer-Patrick, the 1992 Olympic 400m Hurdles silver medallist, now an athlete representative:
“The arrangements from warm-up area to check-in are really good,” Farmer-Patrick said. “I have attended a number of Olympic Games and this is the best I have seen.”
From first day to last, athletes have been asked their reaction to the Sichuan earthquake. The last word from the “Good Luck Beijing 2008 China Athletics Open” came from Yin Hualong, a member of the gold medal winning Sichuan 4x100m men’s relay team tonight.
“Because of the earthquake people around the world are paying attention to us,” Yin said. “We represent the Sichuan people and the Sichuan people will not be beaten. My home town was affected by the earthquake but, luckily, all my friends and family are OK. I would like to thank the people around the world for their support.”
David Powell for the IAAF
