Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Rashid Ramzi became the first ever man to win the 800 metres and the 1,500 metres double at the World Athletics Championships here tonight.
The former Moroccan, who had shifted his loyalty to Bahrain, thus claimed the second gold for his adopted country. The 25-year-old nipped the Russian challenge from Yuriv Borzakovskiv very early to clock 1:44.24 for his personal best time.
The Russian just finished 1:44.51 for the silver just ahead of bronze winner William Yiampoy (1:44.55), who won the battle of Kenyans from Wilfred Bungei, who finished fourth at 1:44.98. Obviously happy at his feat, the Bahranian said he learnt from past mistakes, particularly after his showing in Athens last year. “It was all due my good preparations and I also know it (gold) would be decided on how I ran after the bend,” he said.
A race watched by two protagonists — Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe — from Moscow Olympics in 1980, Ramzi ran the two-lap event with a great calculation and chased down by the Russian on the straight sprinted to finish metres ahead for a lifetime best. In the women’s 1,500 metres, the Russians made a clean sweep of medals with Tatyana Tomashova clocking a season’s best of 4:00.35 for the gold and compatriots Yulia Chizhenko (4:00.93) and Olga Yegorova (4:01.46) finishing in that order.
In men’s 5,000 metres there was a surprise element with Australian Craig Mottram, who eventually got the bronze, giving a rare threat to Kenyan Benjamin Limo and Sileshi Sihine. The two Africans, however, staved off the challenge just metres ahead to win the gold and silver, respectively. Limo clocked 13:32.55 while Sihine came in 13:32.81.
After the race Limo admitted the race was slow and he had to do something at the last lap. “But I had prepared well and our team also had a plan. Thank God, it worked well,” he said, adding, he would be naming his son, who was born last Monday, Helsinki!
Jeremy Wariner anchored defending champions the United States to victory in the men’s 400 metres relay on Sunday for his second gold of the world championships.
Russia led from start to finish to take the women’s event in three minutes 20.95 seconds. World and Olympic 400 champion Wariner took the baton from Darold Williamson and sprinted away from Bahamas to give the U.S gold in 2:56.91 — the fastest time in the world this year.
In the final event of the 10th world championships in the Finnish capital, Bahamas took silver with a national record of 2:57.32. Jamaica won bronze in 2:58.07.
Yuliya Pechonkina, the 400 hurdles champion, notched up her second gold medal in as many days when she led off the Russian quartet in the women’s race.
