Fredericks
runs windy 9.85 in
Peter Njenga for the IAAF
18 May 2002 - Nairobi - Namibia's Frankie Fredericks clocked a wind assisted
season's best time of 9.85 seconds at the Africa Athletics Confederation (AAC)
International Permit Meeting here on Saturday, in a race that left the
opposition gasping in defeat.
Fredericks, 34, who clocked 9.94 in Namibia, last month which until Saturday was the season’s fastest time, said he was thrilled to learn he was "100 percent healthy" and is looking forward to the continental championships in Tunisia.
"I didn¹t know how far behind they (opponents) were but it¹s good to run this fast at altitude" said Fredericks, the 1993 World 200m champion and a silver medallist in the 100 & 200m at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
"It is good to give these young guys some competition to enable them to gain experience. They will progress with time the same way I did," continued Fredericks who is just returning to consistent top form after two year ruined by injury.
"But what is important for me is that I am 100 percent healthy again. My pride was also to run in Nairobi. I think we should encourage this sort of competition in Africa."
In second place in a high quality sprint was Idrissa Sanon of Burkina Faso in 10.15 seconds with Italy’s Andrea Colombo, third in the same time.
>> Reuters have confirmed the wind assistance to be + 3 metres per second <<.
The World and Olympic women’s 800m champion Maria Mutola of Mozambique effortlessly won her race after her would be challenger Kenyan Faith Macharia, fourth in last summer’s Edmonton World championships, failed to show up.
Mutola was cautious because she was concerned about the affects of the high altitude, confirming. "I felt heavy when I trained on Friday so I had to control the race. This way I was sure of winning.”
Mutola clocked 2:03.09 while Amina Ait Hamou of Morocco was second in 2:04.43.
"I am not yet in top shape because my season normally begins around June,” continued Mutola. “I am going back to train in South Africa and will run a few races in Europe before heading to the Commonwealth Games to defend my title.”
Talking of the possibility of breaking the World record time of 1:53.28 of Czech Jarmila Kratochvilova, Mutola said she might one day come and train in Kenya because of the high altitude factor.
Ben Maiyo who has dominated the KAAA weekend meetings this year won the 3,000m in 7:43.22 while in the 800m, Vincent Kemboi ran the first sub 1:45 locally since a 1:44.92 in 1996.
Uganda’s World junior 5,000m champion Dorcas Inzikuru upset the holders of the World’s best times at both the half and full marathons, Susan Chepkemei (4th) and Catherine Ndereba (9th), in a star-studded 3,000m races.
Inzikuru clocked 9:16.12 after outsprinting Ethiopian Sintayehu Ejigu (9:16.77) in the last 50m metres. She credited her victory partly to her training partner, former 3,000m steeplechase World record holder Wilson Boit Kipketer. Both train at the Ngong Hills south west of Nairobi.
Selected results:
Men
100 metres: (+3m) 1. Frankie Fredericks (Namibia) 9.85 ; 2. Idrissa Sanon (Burkina Faso) 10.12; 3. Andrea Colombo (Italy) 10.15; 4. Sherwin Vries (South Africa) 10.17; 5. Tamunosiki Atorudio (Nigeria) 10.26;
400m: 1. Eric Milazar (Mauritius) 45.39; 2. David Kirui (Kenya) 45.73; 3. Augustin Fernado (Mauritius) 46.38; 4. Jopie Van Oudtshoorn (South Africa) 46.70; 5. Victor Kibet (Kenya) 46.79; 6. Christian Birk (Denmark) 47.49; 7. Julius Chepkwony (Kenya) 47.53; 8. Fred Endraa (Uganda) 50.02.
800m: 1. Vincent Kemboi (Kenya) 1:44.92; 2. Joseph Mutua (Kenya) 1:45.49; 3. Ismael Hamad (Sudan) 1:46.72; 4. Michael Rotich (Kenya) 1:46.82; 5. Joel Marwa (Kenya) 1:46.95; 6. Amine Laalou (Morocco) 1:47.70; 7. Fred Onyancha (Kenya) 1:48.53; 8. Shaun Abrahams (South Africa) 1:49.84;
1500m: 1. Robert Rono (Kenya) 3:37.77; 2. David Kiplak (Kenya) 3:38.05; 3. David Kipsang (Kenya) 3:38.28; 4. Birhanu Alemi (Ethiopia) 3:40.27;
3000: 1. Ben Maiyo (Kenya) 7:43.72; 2. Willy Kirui (Kenya) 7:46.68; 3. John Korir (Kenya) 7:50.75.
High jump: 1. Staffan Strand (Sweden) 2.24 metres; 2. Dejan Vrewakovic (Yugoslavia) 2.20m; 3. Jacques Freitag (South Africa) 2.15; 4. Stanslaus Mutunga (Kenya) 2.15;
Women:
400m: 1. Hortense Bewouda (Cameroon) 52.04; 2. Helen Okpanachi (Nigeria) 52.18; 3. Jecinta Wambui (Kenya) 53.87;
800m: 1. Maria Mutola (Mozambique) 2:03.09; 2. Amina Ait Hamou (Morocco) 2:04.43; 3. Janet Busienei (Kenya) 2:04.43;
3000m: 1. Dorcas Inzikuru (Uganda) 9:16.12; 2. Sintayehu Ejigu (Ethiopia) 9:16.77; 3. Innes Chenonge (Kenya) 9:17.28; 4. Susan Chepkemei (Kenya) 9:20.09;… 9: Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) 9:30.36;
Women triple jump: 1. Kene Ndoye (Senegal) 14.23m; 2. Nkechi Mbaoma (Nigeria) 13.14; 3. Ibifuro Tobin-West (Nigeria) 13.05.
