World bests for Koech, Bungei and Kanter in Seville Grand Prix

The middle distance events highlighted the Meeting de Atletismo Sevilla 2004 - IAAF Grand Prix - held yesterday, 5 June. Kenya’s Paul Kipsile Koech produced  the most remarkable performance overall by taking an overwhelming win in the men’s steeplechase recording a new World best mark of 8:05.31, two tenths faster than the previous World best set by his compatriot Brimin Kipruto last Monday in Hengelo where Koech himself was a close runner-up in 8:05.92.

Kenyan dominance with World bests

Paul K. Koech showed a magnificient display of solo running shortly after the 1000m mark covered in 2:46.01; by then only his compatriot David Chemweno and Morocco’s Ali Ezzine remained in close contact.

The 23-year-old Koech pushed hard then and it soon became clear that he would be the eventual winner; the 2000m was crossed in 5:26.35 by a lonesome Koech in charge of the race.

From then on the tireless Kenyan increased his advantage over his pursuers; Koech’s last kilometre took only 2:38.96 to break the tape in 8:05.31 with a huge margin over Chemweno, 8:15.51 and Ezzine, 8:16.65.

The European contingent had a below-par performance with France’s Gael Pencreach prevailing in 8:20.68.

Another Kenyan, Wilfred Bungei, matched his feast of last year in Seville and established a new World leading mark. After a slow start with the first lap covered in 52.10, Bungei took the lead with 200m left and there was no catching him although Russia’s World silver medallist Yuriy Borzakovskiy was about to catch him in the closing stages thanks to his usual late burst of speed.

Eventually Bungei hold off the Russian and clinched a narrow win in 1:44.69 while Borzakovskiy was timed at 1:44.79. Local hero and 2002 World Cup winner Antonio Reina completed a classy top three in 1:44.91, 0.01s ahead of Kenya’s Justus Koech.

“I’m looking forward to the Athens Olympics where I hope to make up for my absence at the World Championships last year,” said a happy Bungei.

American 1500m emerging start Allan Webb contested the ‘B’ race winning in 1:46.53 only five days after his stunning 3:33.70 performance in his specialist event in Hengelo.

Saidi Sief is back

Olympic 5000m silver medallist Algeria’s Ali Saidi Sief returned to his winning days here and beat 20-year-old Kenyan Isaac Songok by only four hundredths of a second in the men’s 1500m.

The split at the 400m point was a brisk 53.36; it was then that the second pacemaker Sammy Mutai took command of the race to lead the quality field until the 1000m mark reached in 2.23. At the bell Kenya’s Alex Kipchirchir was in charge with Saidi Sief and Spain’s Reyes Estévez on his heels; the Algerian made his move with 150m to go and pulled away to take top spot in 3:34.72 only four hundredths clear of Songok while Estévez finished third with 3:35.37 ahead of Kenyans Kipkurui and Kipchirchir both under 3:36 too.

Saidi Sief said: “I didn’t feel fine because I’m just back from a training camp in the altitude of Font Romeu; it’s almost sure, at 90%,  that I’ll be contesting the 1500m event at the Olympics; my next appearance will be next Tuesday in Ostrava (1500) and then I’ll tackle the 5000m in the Golden League in Bergen.”

Kanter and Moreno also provide fine results

In the field events Estonia’s Gerd Kanter produced the third World leading performance by unleashing a 68.50m throw in the men’s discus. Kanter opened with a foul, followed with a 65.44m release before setting his record mark in round 3.

The Estonian didn’t go any further in the remaining attempts but won by two metres from Spain’s Mario Pestano, runner-up with a 66.59m throw as Hungary’s Zoltan Kovago came third with 66.39m, 23 cms ahead of Frantz Kruger of South Africa. World bronze medallist Belarus’ Vasiliy Kaptyukh faded to sixth with 63.28m.

Double World champion Cuba’s Yipsi Moreno was an unchallenged winner in the women’s hammer as she threw almost three metres further than the second placer, France’s World bronze medallist Manuela Montebrun while another Cuban, Yunaika Crawford came third in 70.44m.

Russia’s Olga Kuzenkova, who snatched silver in Paris had to be satisfied this time with the fourth place still exceeding the 70m barrier with a 70.14m heave.

Moreno opened with a huge 73.81m effort, fouled the second attempt to reach 70.64m in round 3. Afterwards the 23-year old fouled her three remaining throws trying to better her season’s best of 75.18m while Spain’s 20-year-old Berta Castells set a National record of 68.87m.

Dragila, Phillips and Crawford, American victors

Reigning Olympic champion Stacy Dragila was the undisputed queen in the women’s Pole Vault by clearing 4.50m before failing three times at 4.60m. Dragila had first time clearances at 4.30m and 4.40m to get over 4.50m in her second attempt. Russia’s Anastasia Ivanova vaulted 4.40m in round 2 to take second ahead of Poland’s Anna Rogowska, 4.30m.

Double (indoor and outdoor) World Long Jump champion Dwight Phillips (USA) found no opposition from a quality field and proved to be the strongest jumper with a 8.23-metre effort set in his opening jump into a headwind of 2.5m. After a 7.82m second round Phillips passed the next three attempts to conclude with a foul sixth jump.

There was a fierce battle for the minor places and Britain’s Chris Tomlinson took second with 8.05m (-1.6) three centimetres further than Spain-based Cuba’s Joan Lino. Spain’s World bronze medallist Yago Lamela had to settle with ninth jumping 7.61m.

Current World Indoor silver medallist at 60m Shawn Crawford ran a powerful bend from lane five and kept the pace up entering the home straight to win the 200m in 20.23 well ahead of fellow countryman Joshua J. Johnson, timed at 20.66 and Britain’s Chris Lambert, 20.74.

Asked which event will contest at the US Trials, Crawford said firmly “I don’t know yet”.

World champion Felicien beaten

Canada’s Perdita Felicien couldn’t overcome a slow start and was beaten by Jamaica’s Delloreen Ennis-London the fastest out of the blocks to take a convincing win in 12.68, her season’s best by 0.01 while Felicien was runner-up five hundredths adrift and Spain’s Glory Alozie came third in 12.75.

Felicien didn’t seem too concerned by her defeat and said “the race was OK, my second place doesn’t matter, no problem; I hope to win the Olympics,” she commented confidently.

Two-time Olympic 5000m silver medallist Kenya’s Paul Bitok pipped Morocco’s Hicham Bellani in the closing stages to win the men’s 5000m in a fine time of 13:13.80, 0.31s clear of the Moroccan, himself another half a second ahead of countryman Mohamed Amyn, 13:14.64.

The first European home was Spain’s 10,000m European champion José Manuel Martínez, sixth in 13:16.85 marginally ahead of Gunther Weidlinger (AUT).

In other events America’s James Carter took the men’s 400m Hurdles with 48.90 closely followed by his compatriot LaBronze Garrett in 48.93. In the same event the win in the women’s went to another American, Brenda Taylor who clocked 55.53. The one-lap flat events saw the victories of Senegal’s Fatou Bau in 51.82 and Sofiane Labidi of Morocco in a personal best of 45.19 ahead of Britain’s Tim Benjamin 45.47 and Spain’s David Canal in 45.67.

Denmark’s Joachim Olsen won a tight shot contest with a 20.86m release in his opening throw 13 cms further than South Africa’s Jannus Robberts while World Indoor silver medallist Reese Hoffa finished third with 20.62m ahead of European champion Germany’s Ralf Bartels, 20.42m.

In the women’s High jump the evergreen Ukrainian Inga Babakova returned to the stadium where she snatched the 1999 IAAF World title. Now aged 37, Babakova fell one centimetre short off her own World leading mark clearing1.98m in her third attempt before failing three times over a would-be World leading 2.00m. Spain’s Ruth Beitia beat Ukraine’s Irina Mykhalchenko on count-back both having jumped 1.95m.

Belgium’s Sandra Stals was a surprise winner in the women’s 800m with a 2:01.71 clocking, 0.03 faster than Russia’s Svetlana Klyuka. Kenya’s Isabella Ochichi was the only woman running under the 15:00 barrier in the 5000m (14:55.95) some 10 seconds clear of Ethiopia’s Teyiba Erkesso who clocked 15:05.19.

Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF