Posted: December 20, 2005

Athletics: Mottram Headlines 2-Mile Field In Boston

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak

Craig Mottram, the bronze medallist in the 5000 meters at this year's IAAF World Championships, will headline a strong 2-Mile field at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games on Jan. 28, organizers announced today.

The 25-year-old Australian, who rarely races indoors, will be making his first indoor appearance in the U.S. He heads a strong field in the rarely-contested 2 Miles, which includes Sileshi Sihine of Ethiopia, the 2004 Olympic 10,000m silver medalist and 2005 World Championships runner-up at both 5000 and 10,000m; Ireland’s Alistair Cragg, the 3000m European Indoor Champion; and Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia, the four-time World Cross Country Championships medalist.

In his standout 2005 season, Mottram eclipsed New Zealander John Walker's 23-year-old Oceania record in the mile, clocking 3:48.98 at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway in July, two weeks before his third place performance in the 5000 meters at the World Championships. The Oceania record holder at 2 miles (8:11.27), 3000 (7:37.30) and 5000 meters (12:55.76), Mottram capped his season with a win at the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile in New York City in September, clocking 3:49.9.

Mottram's last indoor appearance came at the 2004 World Indoor Championships in Budapest, where he finished tenth in the 3000 meters. In the heats, he lowered the national indoor record to 7:48.09. He also reached the final in the 2001 World Indoor Championships, where he finished eighth in 7:48.34. He will contest the 5000 at the Commonwealth Games in March, and will double back in either the 1500 or 10,000, according to his coach and manager Nic Bideau.

Other international entrants in the Boston field include Ethiopian Markos Geneti, the 2004 World Indoor bronze medalist at 3000m; Boaz Cheboiywo of Kenya, a two-time NCAA champion; and Abebe Dinkessa of Ethiopia, a 10,000m finalist at the 2005 World Championships.

A top U.S. field has also been announced. Ryan Hall and Ian Dobson, members of the 2005 World Championships team in the 5000; Jorge Torres, a finalist at 5000m at the 2003 World Championships; and World Championships and Olympic finalist Dan Lincoln.

The world best in the event is 8:04.69, set by Haile Gebrselassie in Birmingham, England, in 2003. The U.S. best of 8:15.02 was set by Doug Padilla in 1990.