World record for Defar
NEW YORK: A world record 5,000m performance by Ethiopian Olympic champion Meseret Defar on Saturday stole the spotlight from US sprinters Justin Gatlin and Marion Jones at the New York Grand Prix athletics meeting.
Co-world record-holder Gatlin had already won the 100m in 9.87sec and Jones had continued her comeback with a victory in the women's 100m when Defar took the track in the last event of the night.
Some fans were already headed for the exits as a light rain resumed, but the 22-year-old Defar was undaunted, clocking 14min 24.53sec to improve on the previous world record of 14:24.68 set by Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey at Bergen, Norway, on June 11, 2004.
After pacemakers stepped off the track at 2,000 meters Defar, who won the 2004 Olympic 5,000m gold in 14:29.98, was on her own with only runners about to be lapped ahead of her.
She mustered a sprint finish to set the record.
“Even with the rain, the cold and the slippery track, I knew I could do it,” she said. “This was wonderful, of course, but it still can't compare to winning the Olympics.”
Ethiopian countrywoman Workitu Ayanu ran a distant second with America's Sara Slattery third in 15:24.01.
US athletics fans watching the meeting on TV missed her feat, since the live broadcast ended minutes before the women's 5,000m.
But they saw Gatlin post the fastest time ever achieved by an American runner in a US race.
And Jones, a five-time Olympic medallist battling back after two seasons marred by doping insinuations, subdued a top-class field, winning in 11.06sec.
Jamaica's Veronica Campbell, ranked number one in the world for the 100m last year by Track and Field News, was second in 11.11. American Torri Edwards, continuing her own strong comeback after a suspension, took third in 11.23.
American Lauryn Williams, the 2005 World champion, was just fifth in 11.44.
“This is just the beginning,” promised Jones, who'll run one race in Europe before returning for the USA National Championships June 21-25 in Indianapolis.
She made a strong start, took an early lead and held off Campbell over the final half of the race to win in her first US race in nearly a year.
“I want to compete against the best,” said Jones, who was greeted by a mix of cheers and boos when her name was announced. “This is what I love. I have a passion for it. I love this sport. Nobody is chasing me away.”
Gatlin's pursuers had solid credentials, too – but couldn't come close. None broke 10 seconds.
Tyson Gay was second in 10.04, world indoor 60-meter champion Leonard Scott was third in 10.07 in the eight-man, all-USA race.
“I felt great and the crowd was great, too,” said the Brooklyn-born Gatlin, who matched Jamaican Asafa Powell's 100m world record of 9.77 in Doha on May 12, is looking ahead to an eventual showdown with Powell later this year as well as a run at taking the world mark all to himself.
“It's virtual warfare,” Gatlin said. “You want to put your best show on and intimidate your opponent.
“Mother Nature pulled a loop on me. I thought it was going to be warm and sunny, but I came out and did what I had to do.”
The fastest men's 5,000 meters ever run in the United States - a 13:05.59 performance by Said Aouita of Morocco - had endured in the books since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
But Kenya's Abraham Chebli eclipsed it with a loudly-cheered 13:04.56 decision over three countrymen - Micah Kogo, Benjamin Limo and Jones Cheruiyot.
Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi, double Helsinki gold medallist, left a strong international field far back as he won the mile in 3:53.55.
Co-world record-holder Gatlin had already won the 100m in 9.87sec and Jones had continued her comeback with a victory in the women's 100m when Defar took the track in the last event of the night.
Some fans were already headed for the exits as a light rain resumed, but the 22-year-old Defar was undaunted, clocking 14min 24.53sec to improve on the previous world record of 14:24.68 set by Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey at Bergen, Norway, on June 11, 2004.
After pacemakers stepped off the track at 2,000 meters Defar, who won the 2004 Olympic 5,000m gold in 14:29.98, was on her own with only runners about to be lapped ahead of her.
She mustered a sprint finish to set the record.
“Even with the rain, the cold and the slippery track, I knew I could do it,” she said. “This was wonderful, of course, but it still can't compare to winning the Olympics.”
Ethiopian countrywoman Workitu Ayanu ran a distant second with America's Sara Slattery third in 15:24.01.
US athletics fans watching the meeting on TV missed her feat, since the live broadcast ended minutes before the women's 5,000m.
But they saw Gatlin post the fastest time ever achieved by an American runner in a US race.
And Jones, a five-time Olympic medallist battling back after two seasons marred by doping insinuations, subdued a top-class field, winning in 11.06sec.
Jamaica's Veronica Campbell, ranked number one in the world for the 100m last year by Track and Field News, was second in 11.11. American Torri Edwards, continuing her own strong comeback after a suspension, took third in 11.23.
American Lauryn Williams, the 2005 World champion, was just fifth in 11.44.
“This is just the beginning,” promised Jones, who'll run one race in Europe before returning for the USA National Championships June 21-25 in Indianapolis.
She made a strong start, took an early lead and held off Campbell over the final half of the race to win in her first US race in nearly a year.
“I want to compete against the best,” said Jones, who was greeted by a mix of cheers and boos when her name was announced. “This is what I love. I have a passion for it. I love this sport. Nobody is chasing me away.”
Gatlin's pursuers had solid credentials, too – but couldn't come close. None broke 10 seconds.
Tyson Gay was second in 10.04, world indoor 60-meter champion Leonard Scott was third in 10.07 in the eight-man, all-USA race.
“I felt great and the crowd was great, too,” said the Brooklyn-born Gatlin, who matched Jamaican Asafa Powell's 100m world record of 9.77 in Doha on May 12, is looking ahead to an eventual showdown with Powell later this year as well as a run at taking the world mark all to himself.
“It's virtual warfare,” Gatlin said. “You want to put your best show on and intimidate your opponent.
“Mother Nature pulled a loop on me. I thought it was going to be warm and sunny, but I came out and did what I had to do.”
The fastest men's 5,000 meters ever run in the United States - a 13:05.59 performance by Said Aouita of Morocco - had endured in the books since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
But Kenya's Abraham Chebli eclipsed it with a loudly-cheered 13:04.56 decision over three countrymen - Micah Kogo, Benjamin Limo and Jones Cheruiyot.
Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi, double Helsinki gold medallist, left a strong international field far back as he won the mile in 3:53.55.
posted by pm19 at
10:02 am
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