Saif Saaeed Shaheen salutes his win in Brussels (© Getty Images)
Kenyan runners have dominated this event in the past, but in Paris, the winner of the World Championship title represented Qatar. The same man, Saif Saaeed Shaheen, is the favourite to win in Helsinki.
Shaheen was formerly known as the Kenyan Stephen Cherono, and he still trains in the winter in Kenya.
Last year, Shaheen did not run at the Olympics because the Kenyan federation would not allow him to represent his new country. In his absence, the Kenyans took home all the medals. Soon after the Olympics, Shaheen showed his class by running a World record of 7:53.63 at Brussels. This year, Shaheen has clocked the best time in the world with 7:56.34 at the Golden League meet in Rome.
The Kenyans traditionally employ team tactics in the Steeplechase, but even Shaheen may get some help as Qatar can send four men to run as he is automatically included as defending champion - Amer Obaid Musa (8:11.75), Salem Jamal Bilal (8:11.67), Shebto Moustafa Ahmed (8:37.02). Jamal Bilal Salem and the young Moussa Omar Obaid could make it to the final. Also, Ahmed’s lowly season’s best should not make us overlook his personal best from last summer of 8:18.52, so the whole Qatari ‘imported’ quartet is strong.
Shaheen’s toughest rivals will undoubtedly be the Kenyan trio. Paul Kipsiele Koech gave Shaheen an excellent race at Rome, finishing only 0.03 seconds slower than the World champion in what has been the best steeplechase race of the season. So far, it is the only time the two runners have met this year.
The others from Kenya are Ezekiel Kemboi and Brimin Kipruto. In the 2004 Olympics, Kemboi won the gold medal, Kipruto, a junior taking the silver, and Koech the bronze.
However, Kemboi has had his injury problems and his best time this season is 8:09.14. from the Paris Golden League meet but he was in disastrously bad form in Stockholm recently, finishing with a 8:37 clocking for 15th place in a race won by Koech in 8:08.56.
Kipruto has been considerably faster, although 8:04.22 only earned him third place at Rome. In that race, five men ran under 8:10.
Brahim Boulami of Morocco is also getting close to his best form. The Moroccan former World record breaker, who has come back successfully from a doping ban which finished during last season, finished fourth in Rome in a fast season’s best of 8:04.92. He won the Mediterranean Games in Almeria this summer (8:15.15).
The strongest European challenger could be Bouabdellah Tahri. The tall Frenchman came fifth at Rome with 8:09.58, and second in Stockholm showing his tenacity with a great run behind Koech in 8:09.71.
Austria has two runners who should reach the World Championship final: Günther Weidlinger ran 8:12.26 for fourth at the Paris TDK Golden League meet, and Martin Pröll clocked 8:13.74 at Heusden-Zolder in late July.
Of the Spaniards, Antonio Jimenez has showed that he is in form by clocking 8:14.05 at Seville.
The hopes of the host nation rest on the shoulders of Jukka Keskisalo. He was ninth in the World Championship final in Paris two years ago, but has been dogged by injuries since and has only started competing again in July. His coach, Tommy Ekblom, was himself a steeplechase finalist in Helsinki 1983.
Helsinki 2005 media team
