These Champs just keep getting better. Osaka 2007 is providing exhilirating athletics where stars shine again and a bright future emerges.
The Men's 3000m SteepleChase saw Kenya continue their dominance with a 1-2-3, that without the year's World Leader, Paul Kipsiele Koech being present. The least known of the 3, Brimin Kiprop Kipruto grabbed the lead with less than 200m to go and galloped to victory unchallenged. The best effort of the race belonged to Sweden's Mustafa Mohamed who took 4th. In 2005, we had Saif Saaeed Shaheen take the title, whereas it is registered as a Qatar victory, Shaheen is originally from Kenya.
What was to follow, (our coverage is primarily 800 to the marathon) was the Women's 800m final. I had Mozambique's Maria Mutola down for my IAAF Fantasy Team however I was most interested to see the performance of Janeth Jepkosgei and Belarus' Sviatlana Usovich. Jepkosgei won going away and looks like the real thing and the future of 800m running. I have waited in anticipation when the Russian 400m specialists stepped up to 800 however they prefer to use the method of 'sitting and kicking'. Now we have a Champion who can do everything for herself, one can only imagine what she will be like during the Golden League later this year with designated 'rabbitts' (aka pacers).
As for Mutola, to me it seemed more like a major blow of the head and not the thigh (an opinion). This could spell the end of her Championship career, after having run 1:56 this season there would be no need to retire for her however I do believe the intensity of the games and her own expectations may have been too much on the day. She was a great champion but had to make way some day and I am only glad to see the likes of Jepkosgei taking up the role.
First a little fun, for the Time-to-Run 'Hairdo of the Champs', this must certainly go to Tatyana Lebedeva, but Boy, can she jump. Always 'value for your money' with her performances. And by the way, she captured the Long Jump title in emphatic form. Spare a thought for Portugal's Nadia Gomes who was in Silver position right till the last jump and then was pushed out of the medals by the Russians.
Athlete of the Day, without doubt Janeth Jepkosgei.
Till the next round of athletics and another day.
TheEd.
