Anna Legnani for the IAAF in Dakar
19 September - With 40 countries represented and the participation of some of the continent's greatest athletes, the 11th African Championships in Athletics, which started yesterday in Dakar (SEN) will provide the spectators in the Léopold Sedar Senghor Stadium with a rare chance to see the top African athletes vying for both continental supremacy and a spot on the African team contesting the IAAF World Cup in Johannesburg on 11-13 September. African men have won the past two editions of this team competition (Havana 1992 and London 1994) and are determined to reaffirm their authority on their home soil, whilst the African women's team will be looking to continue its progression: 6th in 1992 and 4th in 1994.
In yesterday's finals, Daniel Komen (KEN), a former world record holder over the distance, easily took 5000m gold in 13:35.70, kicking midway through the race to leave Haylu Mekonen (ETH), a junior bronze medallist in this year's World Cross Country Championships, and William Kalya (KEN) behind.
South Africa is in town, with her best athletes anxious to secure their places for Johannesburg, and high jumper Hestrie Storbeck confirmed her place among the world's elite as she cleared 1m92 to take gold, despite a somewhat unorthodox style.
Algerian world junior champion Baya Rahouli geared up in the last attempts to take the triple jump title with 13m96, just short of her recent African record of 14m04, ahead of Françoise Mbango Etone (CMR), who had taken the continental record to a short-lived 14m02 just days before Rahouli's feat.
The women's shot put went to Nigeria's Mariam Nnodu-Ibekwe with a throw of 16m20.
Nigeria also dominated the women's 100m semifinals, with the three best times for Endurance Ojokolo (11.36), Mary Onyali Omagbemi (11.42) - clearly not yet back to her best form since taking 1997 off on maternity leave - and Rose Aboaja (11.52). Judging from the ease with which he poweredf down the 100m to dominate his semifinal in 10.09, Seun Ogunkoya seems poised to extend Nigeria's sprint dominance to the men's event and confirm his recent victory in Zurich's Golden League meeting. Frank Fredericks, on the other hand, eased past Jean Olivier Zirignon at the 60m mark to finish in 10.23, third time among the athletes qualified for today's finals and sandwiched between Ghanaians Leo Mills Myles (10.15) and Eric Nkansah Appiah , who clocked a windy 10.24.
Maria Mutola (MOZ) and Hasna Benhassi (MAR) each controlled their 800m heats and go through to Thursday's final with the best times (2:01.61 and 2:03.18 respectively). No surprises either in the men's 400m hurdles where Samuel Matete (ZAM - 49.70), Llewellyn herbert (RSA - 51.16) and Kenneth Harden (ZIM - 51.66) all qualified for the Wednesday final.
The best times in the heats of the men's 400m flat went to Zimbabwe's Philip Mukomazna (45.90), with top guns Arnaud Malherbe (RSA) and Clement Chukwu (NGR) advancing to the semis along with world junior champion Nduka Awazie (NGR) and Davis Kamoga (UGA) who is eager to confirm his form of the last two years.
Wednesday's finals include the men'a nd women's 100m; discus for men and women, women's 100m hurdles, men's triple jump, women's 5000m and men's 400m hurdles.
