Bekele poses next to his 10,000m World record clock in Ostrava (© Getty Images)
For the second time in as many weeks, Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) shattered yet another distance World record to highlight another brilliant edition of the Golden Spike Super Grand Prix in Ostrava this evening.
The spectacular performance of Stacy Dragila (USA), who jumped the best ever outdoor women's Pole Vault mark (4.83m), was the focus of the infield competitions.
Largely solo effort brings Bekele reward
Just eight days after his sterling 12:37.35 World 5000m record in Hengelo, Bekele eclipsed another of Haile Gebrselassie's six-year-old global standards, clocking 26:20.31 in the 10,000 metres, more than two seconds faster than the previous mark.
While expectations were certainly high, the effort was hardly a certainty for the young Ethiopian, who will celebrate his 22nd birthday on June 12. "I knew I would break the World record only in the last lap," he said.
With the capacity crowd of more than 20,000 at this IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting eagerly urging him on, Bekele covered the final lap in a stunning 57.2 seconds to finish what was yet another largely solo undertaking by the three time double World Cross Country champion.
Six seconds adrift of schedule at 4000m!
Pacesetter Martin Keino performed his task adequately, guiding Bekele through the first 3000 metres in 7:55.97, about two seconds from his intended 7:54. Sensing a slowing pace, Bekele forged to the lead for good just two laps later, reaching 4000 meters in 10:37.73, more than six seconds behind the pace in Gebreselassie's 1998 record run.
Running comfortably and exhibiting relentless grace, Bekele began steadily narrowing the gap. The pre-race plan was a 13:10 half; Bekele clocked 13:14.42, two-and-a-half seconds off pace.
Then with robot-like precision, Bekele consistently churned out successive 63 to 64-second laps, and by the eight kilometre, was ahead of his mentor's mark by more than four seconds. Lapping virtually the entire field, Bekele's final kilometre - clocked in 2:21.96 - was like an obstacle course as he weaved around runners before running wide down the homestretch and yet again into the record books. Bekele also pocketed a $50,000 bonus for his effort.
As in Hengelo, the rest of the field was well behind. Gebre Gebremariam was a distant second in an impressive 'non-Bekele clocking' of 26:53.73, a personal best, with Qatari Abdullah Ahmad Hassan third in 27:15.03.
Fantastic stadium atmosphere
With a brief late afternoon shower clearing the air, the late spring conditions were suited perfectly for a fast race, and Bekele eagerly responded. "The weather was to my expectations," he said, "not to hot and not too cold. The atmosphere at the stadium was fantastic."
Judging from yet another solo display, how much faster he can go remains anyone's guess. And Bekele isn't making any predictions.
"Can I break 26 minutes? Only God knows, he said, indicating that he is still planning to contest only the 10,000 at the Olympic Games."
Dragila challenges again at the very top with 4.83 vault
While historic runs are becoming nothing less than expected from Bekele, Stacy Dragila has been pushed from the limelight in the Pole Vault by Russian rivals Yelena Isinbayeva and Svetlana Feofanova, her successors as World record holders.
So when Dragila successfully managed her third attempt at 4.83, the highest ever outdoor clearance, the reigning Olympic champion quickly thrust herself back into contention at the top of the Pole Vault heap, where she has spent much of her career.
"It was a little bit of a surprise," she said of her jump that added two centimetres to her national record. After run-throughs on her first two attempts, her clearance seemed unlikely. Indeed, it wasn't pretty, with her entire torso rubbing the bar, but it stayed.
"I felt a little sluggish, and it felt really effortless. It's kind of fun when it feels that way." Dragila said that her early-season effort is by no means a peak and she continues her preparation for Athens. "I'm still working on my speed, and things are coming together nicely. I think that a lot of people thought I was finished last year and the year before."
NB. Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) the current World record holder with 4.86m (set when winning the World Indoor title in Budapest this winter) who held the previous best ever outdoor mark of 4.82, sat out the competition with a cold.
Webb grows in stature
With the strongest field of the season assembled, a world leading time was expected in the men's 1500, but the winner, American Alan Webb, provided one of the biggest surprises of the evening.
Running just a few steps behind pacesetter Roman Oravec from the gun, the 21-year-old moved to the front for good when Oravec completed his chore to reach the line in 3:32.73, the fourth personal best for Webb this season in as many races.
"I felt really good," said the jubilant Webb, whose breakthrough season is finally fulfilling the promise he showed when he broke the U.S. high school mile record three years ago. "I just raced away. I figured, I'll either die and run fast, or I'll win and run fast. Right now, I just can't seem to not take time off. When the rabbit dropped off, I just hammered it. I was waiting for someone to come, and no one did, so with 150 to go, I gave it everything I had and I held on."
With his typical late race surge, Ivan Hesko finished second in 3:32.88, ahead of Timothy Kiptanui (PB 3:33.34), Bernard Lagat (3:33.61) and Ali Saidi-Sief (3:33.89).
Mutola - meet record
Maria Mutola came to Ostrava with two specific goals in mind: setting a new meet record with a world-leading time. With her dominating 1:57.72 performance, knocking four one-hundredths of second from Jolanda Ceplak's year-old Ostrava record, it was mission accomplished for the reigning World and Olympic champion. Sultana Ait Hammou was a distant second in 2:00.07.
Fast women's steeple
Vitkovice Stadium has become synonymous with fast times in the women's steeplechase, and this year's edition was not an exception. Cristina Casandra's 9:34.36 win was the fastest run of the year, while runner-up Docus Inzikuru, the pacemaker, reached the line in 9:37.41, an African record. Bouchra Chaabi of Morocco was third in 9:42.20, a national record.
Effortless Shaheen
While not the world-leading performance anticipated, World champion Saif Said Shaheen of Qatar made his 8:11.54 win in the men's race appear effortless, handily defeating Ezekiel Kemboi (8:14.93) with a blazing last lap.
Pechonkina statisfied
The parade of world bests began soon after the meeting's opening parade of stars. In her seasonal debut, Yuliya Pechonkina was the easy winner in the women's 400m Hurdles, clocking a world best 53.99. The 26-year-old Russian, who lowered the World record to 52.34 last year, took the lead for good before reaching the second hurdle.
"I was very satisfied with my first race," Pechonkina said. "I did not expect a better result."
Fast-starting Brenda Taylor of the U.S. didn't falter, finishing second with a PB 54.36, more than half a second improvement for the 25-year-old Harvard grad. Paris silver medallist Sandra Glover was a distant third in 55.16.
Win streak extended for Sanchez
In the men's race, Felix Sanchez extended his win streak to 29 consecutive finals, winning in 48.44. The two-time World champion held off the challenge of American Joey Woody, who was second in 48.77.
"I'm happy with the start of the season," Sanchez said, who may have been hit by some pre-race jitters in his seasonal debut, as he was called for a rare false start. "This is the first step towards the Olympic Games."
Zelezny defeated
In the only men's field event of the programme, Czech legend Jan Zelezny thrilled the crowd with his third round 86.12 toss, but the excitement was short-lived. Alexander Ivanov, the reigning European under 23 champion, responded with a world-leading 87.73 in the fourth round to beat the three-time World and Olympic Champion.
Thrilling Long Jump
Tatyana Kotova won a thrilling long jump competition with her fifth round leap of seven metres even, equalling the meeting record. Tatyana Lebedeva, who jumped to double gold at the World Indoor Championships in march, was originally scheduled to compete in the Triple Jump, but was entered in the long jump instead and finished second with a 6.91 best. While showing remarkable consistency, Marion Jones was a distant third, managing a 6.67 best, just off her 6.74 seasonal best.
200m meet record
Fighting a strong homestretch headwind, Justin Gatlin overtook training partner Shawn Crawford in the final few strides to win the 200 in a meet record 20.30, five one-hundredths ahead of Crawford.
Jamaican teenager Usain Bolt, who was make his first start since his world junior record 19.93, suffered a mild hamstring injury in a training session in London on Monday, and didn't make the trip to Ostrava. Also running against a formidable headwind, Torri Edwards took the women's short dash in 11.25, beating back the late-race challenge of compatriots LaTasha Richardson (11.29) and Chryste Gaines (11.30).
Johnson - 13.12
Allen Johnson powered to a 13.12 win in the high hurdles, easily beating fellow countrymen Larry wade (13.33) and Terrence Trammell (13.33). World indoor/outdoor champion Perdita Felicien was thrilled with her 12.67 win in the women's race, easily avenging Saturday night's loss to Jamaican Delloreen Ennis-London (12.76).
With a perfectly executed kick, Ukrainian Irina Lishchinska powered past Lidia Chojecka and Kelly Holmes in the final moments of the women's 1500 to win in 4:03.74, an effort that finally broke Grete Waitz's 27-year-old meet record. Chojecka (4:04.15) held off Holmes (4:04.18) to finish second.
Vlasic upsets Cloete
Blanka Vlasic of Croatia upset 2003 Athlete-of-the-Year Hestrie Cloete in the High Jump, winning on the count back with a first attempt clearance of 1.98, while Olena Govorova of Ukraine produced a lopsided win in the Triple Jump, besting Romanian Adelina Gavrila 14.51 to 14.29. Bahamian Tonique Williams won the 400 in 50.28, the third fastest performance of the year, well ahead of runner-up Ionela Tirlea of Romania (50.91).
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
