The Women's 800m race report

Maria Mutola ran a comfortable race to win the Women's 800m in 2:00.64.

With the first lap being covered in 60 dead, there was bound to be a blanket finish, and with 80m to go, all the women were still in with a chance of winning. Stephane Graf was best positioned and when Mutola moved alongside her it was race over. Dianne Cummins of Canada would have been better off switching off the inside earlier and had to be content with finishing in 3rd with a time of 2:01.00 compared to Graf's 2:00.92

Graf has run faster this season, however she displayed a patience and confidence which augers well for the forthcoming World Track Championships in Paris, in August. Graf looks to be rounding off her preparations for the big one, and with Ceplak aiming towards those Championships, as well, it should be a good one. Cummins looked better than on Tuesday, however she needs to change her approach, if she is ever to challenge the big guns. Tonight saw her lose 2nd place due to being caught behind a faltering Graf. To have to switch so late in the race loses momentum and a probable higher finishing position. [ results below ]

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The Men's 800m race report
In the Men's 800m, they got down to business early with the pacesetter taking them through 400m in 51.25. Wilfred Bungei [ world leader - 1:43.05 ] was the first to show moving into the back straight with 300m to go, with the whole field closely bunched, waiting to make their move.

When the Kenyan, Bungei attacked it was decisive and it looked as though he would gallop away to a deserved victory, however the South African, Mbulaeni Mulaudzi stuck to his task in pursuing the clear leader.

These two were now clear, and with 20m to go Bungei faltered, allowing Mulaudzi momentum and finishing strength to break clear to achieve a well worked victory in 1:44.11 to 1:44.15.

Antonio Manuel Reina of Spain, 3rd in 1:44.65 continues to impress and he was finishing fastest of all the lot, however in order for this to be effective you need to be handy. Bungei will not allow athletes with big kicks to dominate at will.

American hope David Krummenacker was also handy, however going into the last 80m his challenge went out the backdoor, and he faded to 8th in 1:45.51. Krummenacker needs to be able to hand the fast first 400m to convince us that he is destined to be a great 800m runner, however if he concentrates on the 1500m in the future, he should make a massive impact. [ results below ]

The Women's 1500m race report
Irina Lisinskaya of the Ukraine won a strange 1500m race in a time of 4:04.62.

Strange because throughout the race one was left waiting for something to happen. Through the 1st 400m in 65sec, the pacesetter ran a lone race and when the athlete attempting to close the gap was 5000m specialist Yelena Zadorozhnaya [ Russia ], you knew that it was a race with a difference.

From the moment this gutsy Russian went to the front, I was left wanting her to grasp victory. The first lap by the pacesetter was 65 and 800m passed in 2:12.14 1200m in 3:19.69 And when Lisinskaya bolted clear with 300m, there was no response from the rest of the field and she quickly opened a winning gap. Yet again, it was the tiny Zadorozhnaya who tried to make a race out of it, and she was soon chasing down the leader. With 60m to it looked as though Zadorozhnaya would grasp victory as the Ukrainian was 'trotting' towards the line without a mark of strain etched on her face, and then as though somewhat tapped her on the shoulder to say " Excuse me, but if you don't go now, you will lose", she changed gear and glided past the finish post with relative ease. Winning by .35 hundredths. Strange to say the least ... [ results below ]

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The Men's 5000m race report
Then the Men's 5000m kick-off and without Geb, I felt a tad sad. However, with the new 'to be crowned King of Distance' in the future, Kenenisa Bekele in the field one could not be too disappointed.

The race booted off with the Kenyan pacesetter, Martin Keino providing the opening tempo, with the 1st 400m in a shade over 60sec .. 12:30 pace. He continued grinding the laps out at a decent tempo, earning his keep by doing what he gets paid for. Then when he surprisingly stepped off the track early, we were left with pacesetters must have remembered that they were providing the pace for their arch rivals the Ethiopians. 1000 m 2:34.11 2000m 5:08.67

The pace dropped off the below 61 sec needed ask, and when Bekele attempted to accelerate matters the 'rabbitt' decided to inject some pace, which had now dropped to 63 plus. However, this was not to last long and by 3K in 7:45.13 we were no longer witnessing a spectacular time, not that sub 13 for 5000m is easy to say the least.

With a 62 and a 63 sec, it was soon 4K in 10:22, and a race was now evident as the man with the smile Sammy Kipketer moved alongside Bekele's shoulder. Then all of a sudden, the Ethiopian was swamped and he was pushed into 3 rd place. He was now boxed in on the inside lane and he was surrounded by Kenyans. Was this race over, for the man still learning his track trade ?

With 600m to go, the places remained the same, however with just over 400m to go, Bekele had switched out of the box and was superbly placed, a real tactician's brain on view.

Going down the back straight, Abraham Chebeii of Kenyan shot to the front from the rear of this pack. Flying out of touch of the others, and blasting towards the line. Watching Bekele closely, you didn't witness any signs of panic, he merely upped his tempo, lifted his knees and attempted to close the gap. They were motoring at this moment and Kipketer had switched lanes in order to come alongside Bekele.

BOOM .. and someone pulled the plug on the Energizer bunny, Chebeii slowed dramatically and was overhauled and faded to 4th in a PB of 12:52.99.

Bekele was now in the lead, however the grimacing Kipketer was looming and looked to be sneaking victory by the narrowest of margins.. Then something remarkable happened the smooth action of Bekele disappeared but was replaced by a sudden leap forward, almost as though he had been pushed. This sudden burst took him across the line, with him winning in 12:52.26 ahead of Kipketer's 12:52.33. The last 400m was covered in a blistering 54.64, and this off a sub 13 minute pace.

In 3rd place was Eliud Kipchoge (Ken) in a new World Junior record time of 12:52.61. It was Kipchoge who took the lead from Bekele when the Kenyans swamped the Ethiopian, and he looks like another Kenyan prospect with loads of talent.

A magnificent race, and surely the witnessing of the progression on the Man who would be King. [ results below ]

Quote : Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) “It was a very good competition tonight with a lot of Kenyans. I am very happy because I have improved my personal best. Going into the race I was aiming at a time around 12:45 .... I am not the new Haile Gebrselassie. I am a different athlete. Haile is a fantastic athlete but I am not him .... In Paris at the World Championships I will only compete in the 10,000m because doubling up with the 5000m would be too difficult.”

Middle and Distance Results from Oslo : [ all the other results below ]

Men :800m
1 Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (Rsa) 1min44.11secs
2 Wilfred Bungei (Ken) 1:44.15
3 Antonio Manuel Reina (Spa) 1:44.65
4 Andre Bucher (Sui) 1:44.99
5 Bram Som (Ned) 1:45.00
6 Djabir Sad-guerni (Alg) 1:45.00
7 William Chirchir (Ken) 1:45.14
8 David Krummenacker (USA) 1:45.51
9 Joeri Jansen (Bel) 1:46.94
Kennedy Kimwetich (Ken) DNF

5000m
1 Kenenisa Bekele (Eth) 12mins52.26secs
2 Sammy Kipketer (Ken) 12:52.33
3 Eliud Kipchoge (Ken) 12:52.61 PB,WJR
4 Abraham Chebii (Ken) 12:52.99
5 James Kwalia (Ken) 12:54.58
6 Albert Chepkurui (Ken) 12:56.27
7 Salah Hissou (Mar) 13:05.89
8 Sileshi Sihine (Eth) 13:09.90
9 Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam (Eth) 13:14.54
10 Abiyote Abate (Eth) 13:16.80
11 Francis Kiprop (Ken) 13:17.54
12 Markos Geneti (Eth) 13:21.92
13 Jos Manuel Martnez ((Spa)) 13:27.18
14 Manuel ngel Penas ((Spa)) 13:28.24
15 Jess Espaa ((Spa)) 13:29.24
16 Toshinari Takaoka (Jpn) 13:31.10
17 Khoudir Aggoune (Alg) 13:32.00
18 Marius Bakken (Nor) 13:33.78
19 Million Wolde (Eth) 13:36.96
20 Ken Koima Komen (Ken) 14:03.23
Martin Keino (Ken) DNF
Shadrack Korir (Ken) DNF
Paul Bitok (Ken) DNF

Women 800m
1 Mutola Maria de Lourdes (Moz) 2mins00.62secs
2 Stephanie Graf (Aut) 2:00.92
3 Diane Cummins (Can) 2:01.00
4 Olga Raspopova (Rus) 2:01.37
5 Natalya Khrushchelyova (Rus) 2:01.90
6 Michelle Ballentine (Jam) 2:01.92
7 Tamsyn Lewis (Aus) 2:02.98
8 Brigita Langerholc (Slo) 2:03.69
9 Lisbeth Pedersen (Nor) 2:05.28

1500m
1 Iryna Lishchynska (Ukr) 4mins04.62secs
2 Yelena Zadorozhnaya (Rus) 4:04.97
3 Judit Varga (Hun) 4:05.82
4 Alesya Turova (Blr) 4:06.39
5 Kutre Dulecha (Eth) 4:06.63
6 Yekaterina Rozenberg (Rus) 4:06.84
7 Johanna Risku (Fin) 4:07.32
8 Andrea Suldesov (Cze) 4:07.76
9 Veerle Dejaeghere (Bel) 4:08.46
10 Naomi Mugo (Ken) 4:09.36
11 Helen Clitheroe (Gbr) 4:09.57
12 Natalya Gorelova (Rus) 4:10.17
13 Iris Mara Fuentes-pila ((Spa)) 04:10.92
14 Heidi Jensen (Den) 4:11.82
15 Carla Sacramento (Por) 04:12.63
Faith Macharia (Ken) DNF
Meskerem Legesse (Eth) DNF

5000m
1 Berhane Adere (Eth) 14mins29.32secs PB AR,MR,WL
2 Werknesh Kidane (Eth) 14:33.04 PB
3 Tirunesh Dibaba (Eth) 14:39.94 PB
4 Meseret Defar (Eth) 14:43.46
5 Zahra Ouaziz (Mar) 14:47.45
6 Olga Yegorova (Rus) 14:55.19
7 Sentayehu Ejigu (Eth) 15:00.53
8 Jelena Prokopcuka (Lat) 15:02.04
9 Ebru Kavaklioglu (Tur) 15:04.22
10 Eyerusalem Kuma ETH 15:09.70 PB
11 Émilie Mondor (Can) 15:12.87 PB
12 Joanne Pavey (Gbr) 15:16.97
13 Viola Kibiwot (Ken) 15:32.87 PB
14 Tegla Loroupe (Ken) 15:33.47
15 Elva Dryer (USA) 15:38.65
16 Siri Merete Alfheim (Nor) 15:45.01
17 Courtney Babcock (Can) 15:57.09
Olga Komyagina (Rus) DNF
Leah Malot (Ken) DNS

Other results
Men : 100m
1 Mark Lewis-Francis (Gbr) 10.12secs
2 Dwain Chambers (Gbr) 10.15
3 Matt Shirvington (Aus) 10.25
4 Aziz Zakari GHA 10.26
5 Coby Miller (USA) 10.29
6 Ato Boldon (Tri) 10.35
7 Anson Henry (Can) 10.35
8 Asafa Powell (Jam) 10.93

Men : Javelin
1 Sergey Makarov (Rus) 85.61m
2 Boris Henry (Ger) 84.51
3 Voldemars Lusis (Lat) 81.94
4 Dariusz Trafas POL 81.17
5 Aki Parviainen (Fin) 81.06
6 Andreas Thorkildsen (Nor) 80.10
7 Breaux Greer (USA) 76.24
8 Pal Arne Fagernes (Nor) 74.82
9 Eriks Rags (Lat) 74.26
No Mark: Ronny Nilsen Ronny (Nor)

Pole Vault
1 Nick Hysong (USA) 5.70m
2 Okkert Brits (Rsa) 5.70
3 Toby Stevenson (USA) 5.70
4 Jeff Hartwig (USA) 5.70
5 Timothy Mack (USA) 5.60
6 Vasiliy Gorshkov (Rus) 5.60
6 Derek Miles (USA) 5.60
6 Viktor Chistiakov (Aus) 5.60
9 Adam Ptcek (Cze) 5.40
9 Tom Erik Olsen (Nor) 5.40
11 Patrik Kristiansson (Swe) 5.40
12 Rens Blom (Ned) 5.40
Aleksandr Averbukh (Isr) NM

Women : 100m
1 Chandra Sturrup (Bah) 10.96
2 Kelli White (USA) 10.97
3 Debbie Ferguson (Bah) 11.08
4 Chryste Gaines (USA) 11.21
5 Inger Miller (USA) 11.22
6 Marina Kislova (Rus) 11.23
7 Joice Maduaka (Gbr) 11.39
8 Elizabeth Torre Inger (Nor) 11.90

Triple Jump
1 Yamile Aldama Yamile (Cub) 15.11m
2 Francoise Mbango Etone (Cmr) 14.88
3 Tatyana Lebedeva (Rus) 14.86
4 Adelina Gavrila (Rom) 14.60
5 Yelena Oleynikova (Rus) 14.56
6 Anna Pyatykh (Rus) 14.46
7 Olena Hovorova (Ukr) 14.29
8 Carlota Castrejana (Spa) 14.12
9 Yelena Donkina (Rus) 13.95
10 Kravets Inessa (Ukr) 13.91
11 Olga Vasdeki (Gre) 13.76

High Jump
1 Inha Babakova (Ukr) 2.01m
2 Vita Palamar (Ukr) 1.99
3 Iryna Mykhalchenko (Ukr) 1.99
4 Yelena Yelesina (Rus) 1.97
5 Viktoriya Styopina (Ukr) 1.97
6 Kajsa Bergqvist (Swe) 1.95
7 Viktoriya Seryogina (Rus) 1.95
8 Blanka Vlaic (Cro) 1.95
8 Svetlana Lapina (Rus) 1.95
10 Hestrie Cloete (Rsa) 1.92
11 Anna Chicherova (Rus) 1.92
12 Marina Kuptsova (Rus) 1.92
13 Anne Gerd Eieland (Nor) 1.89

This report from our Time-to-Run contributor

Time-to-Run Golden League