Songok and El Guerrouj dip at the line in Lausanne (© KEYSTONE/Fabrice Coffrini)
Lausanne, SwitzerlandTwo world seasonal bests, by Felix Sanchez in the 400 metres Hurdles (47.86) and Allen Johnson in the 110 metres Hurdles (13.05), a 15.33 leap by Tatyana Lebedeva in the women’s Triple Jump and and 2.03 by Yelena Slesarenko in the women’s High Jump were the statistical highlights of a fabulous edition of the Athletissima meeting in Lausanne (IAAF Super Grand Prix) last night.
The Athletissima meeting also featured a shock defeats for Maria Mutola whose 800m winning streak of 27 consecutive races came to end, and for Hestrie Cloete in the High Jump.
However, Hicham El Guerrouj restored a little personal pride with a very narrow 1500m win over Isaac Songok in 3:32.20.
Hurdling world season leads
The four-time 110 metres hurdles World champion Allen Johnson won in 13.05, the best performance of the year in his last test before the US Trials in Sacramento. Finishing next was Latvian Stanislav Oljiars who set his season’s best with 13.21, while Ron Bramlett clocked his PB with 13.26.
“I find that the new track is very fast. Lausanne is a special meeting for me,” confirmed Johnson. “I don’t think these European races have jeopardized my preparation for the Trials. On the contrary they have helped me to produce fast times necessary to go confident to the Trials."
" Lausanne is a special place for me because it was here I competed for the first time in Europe ten years ago.”
Sub-48 for Sanchez
Felix Sanchez (DOM) dipped under the 48 seconds barrier for the first time this season with 47.86 in the 400m Hurdles. Sanchez was pushed in the home stretch by South Africa’s Llewellin Herbert, who set his seasonal best with 48.03. Dai Tamesue (JPN), world bronze medallist in Edmonton, came in third in 48.63.
“I ran very well in the first five hurdles,” said the Dominican Republic star. “I was pushed hard by Tamesue who ran very well in the first part of the race. My recent training sessions indicated that a good time would have come."
" This was my last competition before flying back to Los Angeles for a short period of training. I will be back for the Golden League meeting in Paris. There is plenty of time to work before the start of the Olympics, so I am confident.”
Lebedeva – 15.33 Triple
Tatyana Lebedeva produced a magnificent display of superiority by winning the women’s Triple Jump with 15.33, just one centimetre off the PB she set in the Iraklion Super Grand Prix meeting on Sunday. The Russian double World champion also produced 15.12 and 15.00 and three fouls.The Sudanese Yamilé Aldama finished second with 14.95 in front of Francoise Mbango from the Cameroon (14.85 seasonal best).
Slesarenko defeats Cloete
Yelena Slesarenko is one of the greatest revelations of the Olympic season. Russia’s reigning World indoor champion showed her potential by clearing 2.03 on her third attempt after producing a perfect record of first time clearance jumps at 1.80, 1.85, 1.90, 1.95, 2.01. After securing an easy win she failed her three attempts at 2.05. The young woman from Volvograd beat a world class field which included the croatian Blanka Vlasic (1.98), and the double World outdoor champion Hestrie Cloete, who was third equal with Viktoriya Styopina on 1.95.
Mutola’s win streak dies
Yet the major upset of the evening came in the women’s 800 metres where “Million Dollar” Mutola suffered a rare defeat at 800m at the hands of the Russian Svetlana Cherkasova who took a very close win in 1:58.91. Mutola had to content with second place in 1:59.06 ahead of the surprising Brazilian Luciana Mendes, third in 1:59.11. The star from Mozambique did not manage to produce her usual kick in the home stretch and was overhauled by Cherkasova in the final metres.
Close win for El Guerrouj
Hicham El Guerrouj bounced back from his eighth place in Rome by returning to victory in Lausanne in 3:32.20 (seasonal best). It was a very narrow win by the Moroccan star over the young Kenyan champion Isaac Songok (3:32.22). Ivan Heshko finished third in 3:33.00.
Osmar Barbosa Dos Santos set the early pace in the first 800 metres in 1:52.32. El Guerrouj took the lead with 300 metres to go and had a solid lead over the former World Youth champion Songok at the bell (2:35). In the closing stages Songok dramatically closed the gap on the fading El Guerrouj, whose recent form has been affected by respiratory problems he has been suffering from since January. The World record holder had to hold off Songok’s attack in the closing metres and managed to save the win by just two hundedths of a second thanks to a dramatic dip finish.
Powell not quite sub-10
Asafa Powell clocked 10.00 to win the 100m on the brand new Pontaise track exactly ten years to the night that USA’s Leroy Burrell had set a former World record in the very same stadium (9.85).
Despite the fast time the young Jamaican was a bit disappointed. “I expected a sub-10 seconds time but unfortunately I fell back from the blocks and I missed the chance to achieve my goal. I feel that after my 9.91 win at the Jamaican Championships I can go to Athens to fight for a medal at the Olympic Games.”
Runner-up was Francis Obikwelu from Portugal who set his seasonal best with 10.02. “I had a bad start but I finished well and broke the Portuguese record thanks to a very good track”, said Obikwelu.
Arron speeds to victory
One of France’s Paris 2003 4x100 Golden Girls, Christine Arron, tied the third fastest time this year with 11.01 (her seasonal best). The French star had a convincing win over the Jamaican Aleen Bailey (11.13) and Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus (11.17).
Delloreen Ennis London from Jamaica, back from her recent national title win in Kingston, continued her successful season by winning the 100 metres hurdles A race in 12.57 over the Spaniard Glory Alozie, who was second in 12.69, the same time clocked by the world outdoor silver medallist Brigitte Foster in third. Natalya Kresova set her PB with 12.70 for fourth. The B race went to the 2004 World indoor bronze medallist Linda Ferga from France in 12.99 with a headwind of -1.4 m/s.
Olga Yegorova took her second win (4:01.41) in the 1500 metres in one week following on from her victory last Friday in Rome. The former World 5000m champion engaged in a close battle with her compatriot Yelena Zadoroznaya and outkicked her in the home stretch. Zadorozhnaya finished second in 4:01.72 while the third spot went to Lidia Chojecka in 4:02.63.
Joseph Mutua ran the 800 metres in 1:44.50 to win over his compatriot William Yiampoy, second in 1:44.78 and Bahrain’s Youssef Saad Kamel, was third in 1:44.99, a new PB. The reigning world outdoor champion Djabir Said Guerni ran his seasonal best with 1:45.17 which was enough for fifth place.
It was an inspiring night for Mushir Salim Jawher (the former Kenyan Leonard Mucheru) who took first place in 13:02.47 ahead of Ethiopia’s Mulugeta Wendimu (1302.78). Jawher took the lead at 3000m and continued his front running race by clocking 10:30 at the 4 km point and 12:10 at the bell before launching his kick in the final lap.
The reigning World Indoor champion and World outdoor seasonal leader Alleyne Francique from Grenada dipped under the 45 seconds barrier to take the win in 44.75. Leslie Djhone from France dipped under 45 for the first time this season with 44.93, not far from his 44.83 PB set last year. For the young French athlete it was an Olympic qualifying time for Athens. Third was Eric Milazar from Mauritius in 45.25.
Fredericks on form
The Namibian sprint legend Frankie Fredericks was back to the track where he set the African 100 metres record with 9.86 in 1996. Last night his victory in the 200 metres in 20.21 over Stephane Buckland from Mauritius (20.27) showed that he may be a factor over this distance at this summer Olympic Games in Athens. It was the final appearance in the career of Fredericks at the Pontaise Stadium in Lausanne.
Elsewhere...
Olga Kotlyarova confirmed her recent good form by winning in the women’s 400 metres in 50.09 over Bahamas’s Christine Amertil (50.65) and Romania’s Ionela Tirlea (50.95).
Hussein Al Sabee produced a solid 8.19 leap in his second attempt to win the men’s long jump, by finishing ahead of Ignisious Gaisah from Ghana, who took the second place with 8.14 and Bogdan Tarus from Romania (8.13).
Russia’s Sergey Makarov won the men’s Javelin Throw with a best throw of 85.17 on his second attempt. Latvia’s Eriks Rags finished second with 84.87, over Germany’s Raymond Hecht with 82.17, his seasonal best.
The World silver medallist Ezekiel Kemboi from Kenya did not succeed in running under the 8 minutes barrier in the 3000 metres steeplechase and had to be content with 8:17.46.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
