Tags:
Journalism of Courage
MONACO, Aug 9: Women runners produced four season bests and men two but world records refused to fall at the golden league athletics meeting here last night.
On a hot, still night, Russia8217;s Yelena Afanasyeva and American Kim Batten opened the meeting in dramatic fashion, clocking world best performances in the 800 metres and 400 metre hurdles respectively.
Batten, the Olympic champion and world record holder, blasted from the blocks and took advantage of the ideal conditions, powering to the third best time in history, 52.47 seconds.
Afanasyeva had warmed up the large crowd that included Prince Rainer, by posting 1:56.63 in a thrilling 800 metres that saw Mozambique8217;s Maria Mutola suffer her first defeat of the year.
Afanasyeva ran a tactically perfect race, watching Mutola and Belarussian Natalya Dukhnova battle furiously for the lead.
The Russian finally made her move as they turned into the home straight, pipping Mutola by 2/100ths of a second.
Later, Romania8217;s Gabriela Szabo joined in the funby outlasting double Olympic champion Svetlana Masterkova of Russia recording the fastest women8217;s 1,500m this season of 3:56.97 in a sizzling race that saw eight runners go under four minutes.
The string of world best performances came to an end when American sprint sensation Marion Jones roared to victory in the 100 metres in 10.72, narrowly failing to better the 10.71 she had run twice earlier this year.
quot;My next objective is 10.70 in Zurich, the track is so fast there I think I can beat my personal best,quot; said Jones, who showed no signs of the sore back that had forced her out of a meeting in Stockholm on Wednesday. Glory Alozie of Nigeria claimed the fourth season best of the evening and kept her season8217;s unbeaten record in the 100 metre hurdles intact, running 12.44. The time betters the 12.46 she set last month in Salamanca.
Ethiopia8217;s Haile Gebreselassie, who has already claimed world records in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres this season, came to the Riviera determined to add to add Daniel Komen8217;s3,000 metre mark to his collection but left with a season best time of 7:25.54.
The final race, the 3,000 metre steeplechase was won by world record holder Bernard Barmasai of Kenya crossing in 8:00.67 ahead of compatriot and former-record holder Wilson Boit Kipketer in 8:04.97.
Michael Johnson easily won the men8217;s 400m clocking the second best time this season of 43.96 but failed in his bid to claim Butch Reynold8217;s 400m record, which will turn 10 years old on August 17.
Morocco8217;s Hicham El Guerrouj also failed in his attempt to lower the 1,500 metre world record he set earlier this year at the golden gala in Rome, running the second best this season of 3:28.37.
Namibia8217;s Frankie Fredericks saw his hopes of sharing in the golden league 1 million jackpot come to an end when Trinidad8217; Ato Boldon blitzed to victory in a time of 9.92 ahead of Olympic champion and world record holder Donovan Bailey of Canada.
