Welcome to Helsinki 2005 Day 4

Day 4 of the Helsinki 2005 World Track Championships, would see the Finals of the Men's 3000m SteepleChase and the Women's 800m.

Men's 3000m SteepleChase Final :
For Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar, formerly of Kenya, the road to greatness continued with his victory at the Helsinki Stadium on a wet night more fitting to ducks. The manner of control; the World Record (WR) holder over 3000m SC, showed over his rivals was clear for all to see, when he accelerated over the last 200m to claim the tital with relative ease.

Kenya's Ezekiel Kemboi followed up from his Athens 2004 success with a solid performance in the Silver medal position. The first 2 athletes were secure of their medals, however for 3rd place there was a tremendous tussle between the previous WR holder, Brahim Boulami from Morocca, and Kenya's young star Brimin Kipruto. Kipruto outleaned the Moroccan athlete inches from the finish line, leaving Boulami only with the memories of his ill fitting shorts to reminisce.

The Netherland's (Holland), Simon Vroeman was the best of the Europeans finishing a solid 5th ahead of Spain's Antonio David Jiménez . Also worth mentioning was the performance of Sweden's Mustafa Mohamed who acquitted himself well throughout this Championship, his refreshing approach to racing against the World's best is truly contagious.

As a race, there was no doubt who the master of the 3000m SteepleChase is, one name, Shaheen.

During the Medal Winners Press conference, the Qatarian athlete expressed his desire to attack the WR at the Brussel's Golden League, for the future he spoke of running further 1500m races to provide further motivation.

In reply to Time-to-Run's question of whether he would be challenging the sub 3:30 barrier, he smiled and commented that there was no reason why not.

The rest of 2005 awaits and 2006 will no doubt be an interesting year, as this is the one athlete who has all the ability to challenge the likes of Bekele over 5000m. Onwards and forwards. | results |

Women's 800m Finals :
Just when we were coming to expect a Russian Revolution, with 3 athletes representing that country in the final, we emerge with a revisit to the Cuban tradition with the arrival of Zulia Calatayud on top of the podium.

Calatayud has displayed a commanding presence through the first round and semi final, and the only question would be whether she could produce the goods in the final. She did. Her winning time of 1:58.82, is scant regard to the actual ease with which she took Gold.

Always at the head of affairs, running on the shoulder of Paris 2003 champion; Maria de Lurdes Mutola, through 400m in 60.72, the Cuban athlete was content to make her winning move at the top of the final straight. Once the athlete accelerated; it was race over, leaving her rivals for dead, winning going away against a solid field of 1:56 season performers

The only Russian to gain a medal was race favourite, Tatyana Andrianova, who had to be content with Bronze with Morocco's Hasna Benhassi taking silver | results |