Posted: August 29, 2007

Athletics (RWire): Bekele Three-Peats World 10,000 Meter Title with Finishing Display

Abdirahman places seventh By Parker Morse, Running USA wire OSAKA, Japan - (August 27, 2007) - World Cross Country champion Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea took the risky step of leading, and Ethiopian Sileshi Sihine almost stole the crown from his teammate, but in the end the finishing speed of Kenenisa Bekele was too much for both, and the world record holder won his third consecutive 10,000 meter title Monday evening at the IAAF World Championships. Tadese was the leader through seven of the first eight kilometer splits, stringing the pack out early with a pace for a sub-27:30 finish. By halfway, reached in 13:42.98, Tadese headed a pack which was almost entirely African, the exceptions being the USA's national champion Abdi Abdirahman, who ran a 27:31 earlier this year in Hengelo, and Ahmad Hassan Abdullah of Qatar, who was born Albert Chepkurui in Kenya. The pack shrank from twelve to ten to nine to eight, and finally Tadese put in a burst of speed which cut the pack down to four, himself, Bekele, Sihine and Japanese-based Kenyan Martin Irungu Mathathi. All three clumped up around Tadese, waiting for the move, and it was Mathathi who finally broke with two laps remaining. Sihine and Bekele gave chase, while Tadese, wasted, was left behind. Initially, Mathathi's burst of speed looked like it would carry him to victory, and Sihine looked around for Bekele even as he dogged Mathathi's footsteps. But Bekele lagged, five meters adrift with 600 meters remaining and apparently struggling. When Sihine realized he was now the Ethiopian hope, he applied his own terrific speed to pass Mathathi as they approached the bell. But Bekele was not as finished as he looked. He covered Sihine's move, passed Mathathi, and overhauled Sihine on the backstretch. Sihine sprinted desperately to hold the lead, but Bekele's speed in the last half-lap is unparalleled. Reporters in the press tribune timed the last 200 meters in 28.0, and Bekele had his three-peat in 27:05.90. Abdirahman of Tucson, Ariz. fell off the pack in sixth, but faded back to seventh (27:56.62), being passed by Ethiopian Gebre Gebremariam. "I wasn't hurting," Abdi explained, "but I was getting blisters on my heels." Fellow Americans Dathan Ritzenhein (9th, 28:28.59) and Galen Rupp (11th, 28:41.71) stayed away from the ferocious early pace, worked together in the back, then moved up in the wreckage of the lead pack, since so many of the early leaders fell back quickly, as Abdirahman did, when dropped by the pack. "I didn't think anybody would take it out hard tonight," said Ritzenhein. "I was pretty shocked that it went out that way." Rupp agreed: "This race shows you how hard you have to work." 11th IAAF Track & Field World Championships - Osaka, JPN, Monday, August 27, 2007 MEN'S 10,000m 1) Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), 27:05.90, $60,000, gold 2) Sileshi Sihine (ETH), 27:09.03, $30,000, silver 3) Martin Irungu Mathathi (KEN), 27:12.17, $20,000, bronze 4) Zersenay Tadese (ERI), 27:21.37, $15,000 5) Josephat Muchiri Ndambiri (KEN), 27:31.41, $10,000 6) Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam (ETH), 27:44.58, $6000 7) Abdi Abdirahman (USA), 27:56.62, $5000 8) Josphat Kiprono Menjo (KEN), 28:25.67, $4000 9) Dathan Ritzenhein (USA), 28:28.59 10) Boniface Kiprop (UGA), 28:30.99 11) Galen Rupp (USA), 28:41.71 NEWS FLASH: On Wednesday night, August 29, two-time Olympic medalist Bernard Lagat won the 1500 meter world title in 3:34.77; the first gold medal in the event for a U.S. male in eleven World Championships. Alan Webb finished 8th (3:35.69). Also, 2007 USA 5000m champion and U.S. 5000m record holder Shalane Flanagan and two-time Olympian Jen Rhines qualified for Saturday's 5000 meter final. Complete results and more at: Osaka2007.IAAF.org. Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director (805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016 Ryan@RunningUSA.org www.RunningUSA.org. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest