Gelete Burka of Ethiopia and Roseanne Galligan of Ireland compete in the women's 1,500m (© Getty Images)
Drawn into the significantly stronger heat of the opening round, Gelete Burka illustrated that she was clearly ready to defend the title she won in Valencia two years ago. But it was her younger teammate, Kalkidan Gezahegne, who produced by far the most memorable performance of the opening day.
Less than 10 minutes after Burka crossed the line to take an easy 4:12.08 victory in the first of the late afternoon’s two heats, Gezahegne, this year’s world leader at 4:03.28, was running comfortably in the middle of the pack in heat two, biding her time and planning her move. Then disaster struck when she was tripped up from behind by Russian Yegeniya Zolotova with just over 700 metres to go.
Dazed and down momentarily, Gezahegne, still a junior, picker herself up to finish the race. But finishing wouldn’t be nearly enough for the 18-year-old, and for the vociferous Ethiopian cheering section which made up a significant portion of upper level of the backstretch. On a mission, Gezahegne gradually reeled in the field over the next two laps, running fourth in the nine-woman field with just under one lap to go.
Forging on, she overtook American Erin Donahue and Poland’ Sylwia Ejdys down the backstretch, and finally Spaniard Natalia Rodriguez over the waning metres to take the victory in 4:08.91, the round’s fastest time.
“I accidentally fell and hurt my knee,” said Gezahegne, the 2008 World junior silver medalist who reached last year’s World final in Berlin. “I decided to continue. The crowd supported me and thanks to good training I was able to finish.”
Considering the effort expended to come back and win the race – she needed to only finish in the top-three to advance – she’ll be relying on that “good training” even more in Sunday’s final when she’ll square off against Burka for the first time this year. “I think Gelete is my biggest rival,” she said, “but she is also my friend.”
Rodriguez, who was disqualified from the Berlin final after famously causing Burka to tumble, held on for second crossing the line in 4:09.19, and will be looking to at add to her 1500m European indoor silver from last year.
“The two Ethiopians are the top favourites, but I will fight for a medal,” Rodriguez said.
Ejdys (4:09.23) took the third automatic qualifier, while Donohue, propelled by a personal best of 4:10.12, and Natallia Kareiva of Belarus, who clocked 4:12.91, also advanced.
Considering the energy Gezahegne burned, Burka was fortunate that her front-running 4:12.08 run in the first heat was enough to advance, and ultimately win.
“I want to to be successful in Doha and get over the memories of Berlin where I was a victim of a fall,” said Burka, who arrived in the Qatari capital as the year’s second fastest at 4:03.44. “I am confident and I will be fighting for the win.”
European champion Anna Alminova was content with just chasing Burka to the line, and finished second in 4:12.50.
“In the final I forsee a fast race with the Ethiopians making the pace,” said Alminova, who like Burka, is looking to make up for Berlin disappointment after failing to advance from the semi-finals last summer. The 25-year-old Russian has been quick this winter as well, clocking 4:03.88, trailing only the Ethiopian pair on the season's list.
American Sarah Bowman, who was gapped by the leaders and running back in fifth with just over three laps to go, fought back and gradually returned to contention for a top-three finish at the bell. Timing her finish nicely, she managed to reel in Frenchwoman Fanjanteino Felix and Briton Helen Clitheroe over the final 100 metres to finish third, reach her first major final, and make her trip to Doha pay off. Bowman, a former indoor NCAA, finished only a distant fourth at last month's US championships.
NB - Updated 16:30 CET - Following a protest by the Kenyan team, a Jury of Appeal decided that Irene Jelagat, who was clipped and fell in Heat 1, would be reinstated and will advance to the final, ruling that there had been unintentional contact with another athlete.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
