Zürich, SwitzerlandA remarkable sub49 second 400m run by 20-year-old Sanya Richards to defeat World and Olympic champion Tonique Williams-Darling was the undoubted highlight on an evening of heavy rain and at times thunderstorms (heard that somewhere before recently?) at tonight’s Weltklasse Zürich, TDK Golden League meeting in the Letzigrund stadium.
And then there was one – Lebedeva remains in the Jackpot
Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia and France’s Christine Arron started this evening as the last two contenders for the TDK Golden League Jackpot of one million dollars, a share of which goes to any athlete who can win at all six series meetings and then competes at the World Athletics Final in Monaco (9 – 10 September). But after a three hour programme of competition the hunt for one million had been whittled down to just one participant for the meeting in Brussels next week (26 Aug), and even that victory by the Russian looked uncertain at one point tonight.
Lebedeva, who opted out of the World Championship Final of the women’s Triple Jump last week in Helsinki due to a persistent Achilles injury which had first developed in Oslo (29 July), was lying in second place (with 14.57) until the fourth round behind World champion Trecia Smith of Jamaica. Smith, carrying her own injury which had resulted when winning her title in Helsinki, had a best of 14.67 (second round) but ultimately it was not good enough to hold back even an under-par Lebedeva. In the fourth round, the Russian pulled out 14.73 and with her next effort killed the competition dead in the extremely wet conditions with 14.94.
“I was following what happened to Christine Arron in the 100m race,” confirmed the Russian, “so I knew I would remain alone in the Jackpot race if I won…. I was afraid about my injury but with every jump, it got better and better.”
Arron may have lost out on her chance of the Jackpot but her 10.99 clocking in the 100m was by no means a lack luster defence of her claim, she was just outclassed. With Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell and World 100m gold medallist Lauryn Williams inspiring each other to fast times, the rest of the field never got a look in. Campbell crossed first in a personal best (PB) of 10.85, with Williams close on her tail in her own 10.88 PB. This was a class race. Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas, who holds the fastest time of the summer - 10.84, Lausanne 5 July - led the chasers in third, 10.97, having caused a false start when the gun fired first time.
“My time today was not too bad, so I’m not very disappointed,” confirmed Arron. “I haven’t really lost the Jackpot money, as I needed to win it yet.”
Richards runs 48.92!
Olympic champion Tonique Williams-Darling of the Bahamas, IAAF World Ranked number one, had braved the weather in Helsinki to win the World 400m title in impressive style, ahead of USA’s Sanya Richards – 49.55 to 49.74. Tonight in similarly wet, if thankfully warmer conditions, it was the turn of the 20-year-old Richards to get the upper hand for the first time, beating the 29-year-old Bahamian in an absorbing (pun intended) finishing straight duel in the driving rain which had the Letzigrund crowd in full voice in encouragement.
Richards crossed in a 48.92 world season’s lead and PB, defeating Williams-Darling who was second in 49.30, her season’s best. The winner’s time made the youngster the ninth quickest runner of all-time. Her previous PB and world season’s lead had been 49.28 when winning the USA championships on 25 June. She is the youngest ever runner under 49 seconds.
Monique Hennagan was third in 50.24.
“I worked hard all year to run so fast,” commented Richards. “I am very satisfied because I got my revenge today for Helsinki where Tonique was first and I was second.”
Jamal – fast race, perfect tactics
In the women’s 3000m, a perfectly executed pounce at the bell coming off a fast pace - secured by 1km 2:38 and 2km 5:36 splits by the two pacemakers - brought Maryam Jamal of Bahrain, an impressive victory over her former countrywoman Berhane Adere of Ethiopia. Her 8:29.45 clocking, second this season only to her own 8:28.87 (Oslo 29 July), brought her home safely in front of Adere (8:31.89), with Olympic 5000m silver medallist Isabella Ochichi of Kenya, a distant third (8:34.51).
Amongst many PBs, there was a national record for Tanzania via the feet of Zakia Mrisho (8:39.91) but most surprisingly was the form of Edith Masai, former World bronze medallist and multiple World Cross Country short race champion who languished with blistered feet at the back of the race, finishing 13th in 9:12.02. She had run 8:31.27 in Paris back on 1 July.
Shaheen’s only firm opponent turns out to be the water jump
A solo run, begun with almost three laps to go to the finish by World champion and record holder Saif Saaeed Shaheen secured an easy win for him in the 3000m Steeplechase. Easy in statistical terms (8:02.69) as he was exactly 8 seconds ahead of second placed Brimin Kipruto but physically it was not simple, as the last water jump proved Shaheen’s temporary and painful undoing as he slipped and fell. He quickly got back to his feet, and the fact that he came so close to 8 minutes despite that upset, proved the quality of the Qatari’s run. A World record bid has already been forecast for Brussels next week, and if bruises and cuts heal in time Shaheen’s old mark (7:53.63) which he set in the Belgian capital last year, could soon be history.
“Zurich is my favourite meet and I wanted to break the (World) record,” said Shaheen, ”but when it started raining I was also starting to think maybe it will not happen….I have no explanation for my fall….I still have one more race to try for the record in Brussels.”
Bekele eyes 10,000m mark
There was no falling down for Kenenisa Bekele but his lonely run out front in the men’s flat 3000m was just as emphatic as Shaheen’s in the Steeplechase. Just outside the meeting record of 7:32.54, which has stood to the great Said Aouita since 1986, Bekele’s victory in 7:32.59 in heavy rain promises that his attempt on his own World 10,000m record next week in Brussels will be a serious one.
Second today was Ali Said-Sief (7:37.56), with Australia’s World 5000m bronze medallist in third again with 7:38.03.
Wariner in charge all the way
World champion, Olympic champion, class act! Jeremy Wariner is in a different groove at present to the rest of the world’s 400m runners. Today he played with the field, coming home easy in 44.67. Behind the one lap American phenomenon was Canada’s Tyler Christopher (44.96), the Bahamas’ Christopher Brown (44.97), with Andrew Rock of the USA in fourth (45.04). This had also been the supporting cast in Helsinki too, with Rock and Christopher the World championship silver and bronze medallists on that occasion.
Gatlin confident too
World 100m and 200m champion Justin Gatlin seems to be revelling in his status as the world’s best sprinter much more than he did after winning the Olympic title in Athens last summer. Perhaps it is the confidence that ‘back to back’ global wins give an athlete but Gatlin is exuding confidence both on and off the track at present. Not at all unsettled by a false start by his compatriot Leonard Scott, Gatlin powered to a 100m victory in 10.14, and was already saluting the win before the line was crossed. Francis Obikwelu was second in 10.22, separated in a photo from Ghana’s Aziz Zakari on the same time in third.
Pechonkina and Jackson reinforce number one status
Bershawn Jackson of the USA must imagine it does nothing but rain in Europe. Having run a stunning 47.30 personal best in terribly wet conditions to take the World title in Helsinki, he again swam around the track to win tonight’s men’s 400m Hurdles in 48.14. The rain was so heavy that the runners might well have been competing in a shower cubical. That six of the eight starters came home in under 49 seconds is a credit to their resilience. Panama’s Bayano Kamani was second (48.49) and James Carter of the USA, the World silver medallist was third (48.51)
Yuliya Pechonkina of Russia, another newly crowned World champion might only be IAAF World Ranked number four but she is certainly ahead of the world at the women’s 400m Hurdles at the moment. The Russian World record holder was dominant tonight, taking a 53.30 win over Lashinda Demus (53.83) and Sandra Glover (53.91). These two Americans had also followed her home in Helsinki last week, so this was an exact repeat of the Helsinki podium finish.
Komen back on form
In the men’s 1500m, the season’s second fastest runner Daniel Kipchrichir Komen of Kenya made up a little for his disappointing Helsinki performance (he didn’t even qualify for the semi-final stage) with a comfortable victory over Bernard Lagat (USA) – 3:30.49 to 3:31.04. USA’s Alan Webb was third 3:33.40.
Alekna remains at the top
On a wet slippery circle, World and Olympic champion Virgilijus dominated the men’s Discus winning with his second round launch of 68.00m. The Lithuanian star backed that up with two other high 67m efforts. The victory on paper was tight with Estonia’s Gerd Kanter second with 67.92m from the fourth round, and South Africa’s Frantz Kruger third with 67.30m, a throw which had held the lead for the first round only.
Alekna summed up the conditions – “It was a lottery on this slippery circle.”
No wind against Pitkämäki this time
Weather conditions had certainly played a part in the sudden downfall of Finnish hope Tero Pitkämäki in the men’s Javelin Throw at the World Championships but on that occasion the problem was a fierce head wind. Tonight the rain might have been heavy but before the Javelin event got under way in the last half of the meeting, the wind had blown itself out and the wet flags on the stadium roof clung limply to their poles. Duly proving his point of 'what might have been' with an opening throw of 88.71m Pitkämäki won the competition. 2003 World champion Sergey Makarov (RUS) was second with his last round 86.89m, and Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR) was third with 85.44.
Trivia question. The last Finn to win in Zürich?
Answer - Paavo Nurmi in the 5000m in 1928!
Perry proves again
American Michelle Perry won a wet and slippery 100m Hurdles in 12.55, beating much of the same cast which she had defeated when winning the World title in Helsinki. Her time was 12.55, with Jamaica’s Brigitte Foster, second (12.69), and Olympic champion Joanna Hayes of USA, third (12.79).
Arnold surprises for a second time
By the time of the men’s High Hurdles, the rain was getting very heavy indeed. Bracing the conditions best in 13.03 was American Dominique Arnold who had also surprised in Rome in July. Here he headed the Helsinki podium of Ladji Doucouré (FRA), Liu Xiang (CHN) and Allen Johnson (USA), but on this occasion Xiang beat the Frenchman, 13.03 – 13.12 for second, and Johnson ended up fourth in 13.26.
Thomas Blaschek won the men’s “B” 110m Hurdles in 13.32.
Low High Jump in the rain
A very low key men’s High Jump was won by Czech Svatoslav Ton with 2.28m. Cuba’s surprise World silver medallist Victor Moya was again in second, also on 2.28, with Olympic champion Stefan Holm of Sweden still out of sorts in third (2.25). No doubt the driving rain didn’t help anyone.
Pole Vault abandoned
It certainly didn’t in the Pole Vault which was officially abandoned due to the heavy rain. The evening’s performances stand but not the positions. At the time of the halt 2003 World champion Giuseppe Gibilisco of Italy had jumped the best, with a second time 5.70m clearance.
800m remains below par
Will anyone duck under 1:44 this season in the men’s 800m? It looks increasingly unlikely with a quality field in the ‘B’ race being headed by Antonio Reina in 1:44.32, the fastest clocking of the night. The “A” race couldn’t even match that, with Wilfred Bungei winning in 1:44.87. Enough said!
Mutola’s win streak comes to an end
There was to be no fairytale ending for the 2005 season of Maria Mutola - she will now go home for a rest and return indoors next winter - as the twelve-time consecutive Zürich women’s 800m winner was beaten into fourth today (2:00.22). Coming off the final bend she was still in second but in the final sprint which was led home by newly crowned World champion Zulia Calatayud of Cuba, the Mozambican’s speed was left wanting. It was close on the line for the win though, with the Cuban nearly surprised by a fast finishing Hasna Benhassi of Morocco. Calatayud just hung on for first in 1:59.16, while the Moroccan was second in 1:59.18. Russia’s Svetlana Cherkasova was third (1:59.93).
In the pre-programme of U23 races there was a superb 1:59.31 women’s 800m clocking for Janeth Jepkosgei, while the men’s 200m was won in 20.65 by Nigeria’s Olusoji Fasuba, and Kenyan Bernard Kiptum took the 1500m in 3:35.52.
Chris Turner for the IAAF
