Kenyan
wins titanic 5000 in Kingston
David Martin
(PA) for the IAAF
16 July 2002 - Not unexpectedly the rivalry between Kenya and Ethiopia acknowledged as the best distance runners in the world, provided the highlight of the first day's action in Kingston tonight.
Each nation have shared the 5000 metres gold medal on four occasions each. This year's ninth World Junior Championships predictably saw their ace teenagers again making it a two-horse race between the African nations.
Kenya's Solomon Busiendigh took an already broken-up field through a swift first kilometre in 2:36.89. Then virtually to the finish the tiny frame of Hillary Chenonge became the hare in front of his team mate and the Ethiopian's Gebre-egziab Gebremariam and Markos Geneti.
Maintaining a quickish pace, for no other reason than his determination in doing the hard work of 12 1/2 laps, Chenonge deserved his victory in a championship record time of 13:28.30 which sliced four seconds from his own personal best.
But over a ferocious final circuit when Busiendigh became the first casualty shortly after the bell, it seemed as if the double threat from his southerly rivals was going to see Chenonge wilt under the pressure.
But showing remarkable confidence he kicked with just under 200 metres remaining to stall the golden hopes of Geneti who clocked 13:28.83 and Gebremariam who fell away in the final sprint and finished in 13:29.13.
The women's 3000 metres race also went almost to the wire. Over the final lap it brought success for Meseret Defar the Ethiopian storming away for a relatively easy victory in 9:12.61.
Behind, the action was closer. Morocco's Mariam Al Aoui Selsouli won the day by 0.30sec in 9:16.28, both she and Russia's Olesya Syreva setting personal bests.
Edis Elkasevic produced only three valid throws in the shot put. But every one of the Croatian's efforts was in excess of 20 metres - the final effort flying out to a huge distance of 21.47 metres.
With the new six kilogram shot, the Croatian set a new world best performance easily outclassing his rivals. Runner-up Sean Shields threw 20.54m, the American's effort coming in the fifth round.
Third was Finland's Mika Vasara who stole the bronze medal from Poland's Michal Hodun with his last round attempt of 20.50m.
There should be something special in Wednesday night's 100 metres final. The "Trinidad Tornado" Darrel Brown ran 10.17 the fastest time this year by a junior, in his quarter final. Now he believes he can approach the world record of 10.06 if conditions are right.
