Tirunesh Dibaba crosses the line ahead of Elvan Abeylegesse to replicate the 1-2 from the 10,000m (© Getty Images)
Ethiopians have dominated the 10,000m for the past decade at the World championships, and there’s little to indicate that their streak will not continue in Berlin. The only thing that isn’t certain is which of their formidable foursome will take the top prize.
Both two-time defending champion Tirunesh Dibaba, who is also the Olympic champion, and her long-time rival, Meseret Defar, the reigning 5000m champion, have double ambitions at Olympic Stadium. For Dibaba, it’ll be an attempt to equal her feat from Helsinki four years ago when she became the first to take such a distance double. For Defar, it’ll be her first test over the distance in a major championship.
After a slightly off-year last year by her own standards in 2008, Defar has returned with a vengeance, first by producing a strong indoor campaign and then following up by tackling the longest distance on the track. After a disappointing 31:07.34 in Stockholm in the waning days of May, she tried again in Birmingham and reached the line in 29:59.20 to become only the fifth woman to break the 30 minute barrier and the fifth fastest ever.
Dibaba, who repeated her Helsinki double at the Olympics last year, hasn’t run a 10,000 this year, but after a late spring defeat to Linet Masai in the New York 5000m, bounced back with a world-leading 14:33.65 in London. Should both halves of the ‘Dueling D’s’ purse the double, their showdowns will certainly prove to be among the more memorable highlights of the championships.
But this year there’s more to the Ethiopian challenge than the pair who’ve largely dominated their niche in recent years. Meselech Melkamu made a strong challenge to the pair’s dominance in during a three day stretch in mid-June, first with a sensational 29:53.80 run in Utrecht – an African record and the No. 2 performance all-time – and then a solid 14:34.17 in the Ostrava 5000m, certainly the finest 72 hours of distance running in recent memory. She hasn’t raced in a month, won’t be doubling, and will presumably be quite ready on the opening night of the championships.
The fourth member of the Ethiopian line-up is hard to judge, and with five names entered (as Dibaba is defending champion four can run + one reserve) we'll have to wait until the eve of the championships to know for sure but its likely to be Wude Ayalew (30:11.87; 14 June 2009).
Kenyans generally play a key role in the 10,000m, but they haven’t had much success at the World championships in recent years - their last medal came a decade ago in Seville when Tegla Loroupe took the bronze. Leading the charge this year will be Linet Masai - still a teenager – whose fourth place finish in Beijing was rewarded with a 30:26.50 World junior record. Boding well for Berlin, the World Cross Country silver medallist has improved significantly in the 5000m this season.
She’ll be joined by Florence Kiplagat, the World Cross Country champion, who was even faster this year, clocking a national record 30:11.53 behind Melkamu in Utrecht two months ago.
Always a threat is Ethiopian-born Turk Elvan Abeylegesse, who chased Dibaba in Both Osaka and Beijing to capture well-earned silver. She’s run the event just once since her 29:56.34 national record in Beijing – the fastest non-winning performance ever – clocking 31:51.98 to take the Mediterranean Games title, but presumably, she’ll be ready.
In both Osaka and Beijing, it was Americans who produced the surprises. Olympic bronze medallist Shalane Flanagan (30:22.22 NR in Beijing) will be toeing the line in Berlin hoping to at least duplicate Kara Goucher’s bronze medal winning performance from Osaka. Also a solid podium threat is Liliya Shobukhova who clocked a personal best 30:30.93 at the Russian championships.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
