Day 4 of the Osaka 2007 World Track Championships. The two finals of interest, the Men's SteepleChase and the Women's 800m.

The SteepleChase saw the Kenyan dominace of this event continue while in the 800 it underlined the brilliant talent of Janeth Jepkosgei, who at these Championships has displayed the future of 800m running for women.

Men's 3000m SteepleChase Final :
Sweden's Mustafa Mohamed was forced to go straight to the front and provide pace for the SteepleChase title, as the rest of the field started off at an amble. This was the kind of tempo that Spain's José Luis Blanco truely enjoys kicking off and this could be a problem if the pace stays so low. Mohamed was looking for a 'taker' however no one was keen as they sauntered through the first 1km in a sluggish 2:52.63.

There is an acceleration over and across the water-barrier and we finally have somehting that resembles a race. But then, Mohamed again finds himself at the front. The Somali born athlete needs a stronger pace as he does not possess the same turn of speed over the final 200m. Without the presence of Kenya's Paul Kipsiele Koech to provide a fast pace, Mohamed knew he would be faced with the audious task of pushing the pace if he wanted the scantest chance of grabbing a medal. Times coming into a Final count for nil in the end, it is the simple first 3 past the post who are recorded in history.

Mo throws down the hammer and the field is being spread out a little, this was a 2:44.80 km and they pass through 2k in 5:37.47. There are only 8 athletes left in contention and no Blanco (he is eventually DQ'd) The change of pace had been really effective by the determined Swede with only 4 now left in contention at the bell.

With a lap to go Qatar's Abubaker Ali Kamal takes the lead. Before he has an opportunity to impose himself the 2 Kenyans, Ezekiel Kembo and Brimin Kiprop Kipruto take charge of the race and böolt away down the backstraight. There is another surge with 150 to go and Kipruto is up and over the water and on towards the final hurdle for a comfortable victory in 8:13.82 with a 1-2-3 for Kenya.

The Kenyan dominance of this event continues despite their #1 Koech not even present. The least fancied of the 3, Kipruto takes victory and the Swede has to be content with 4th.

Kipruto, what a turn out for the books | results |

Women's 800m final :
The 800m was a tense affair as the Women waited for the start of their race. Mozambique's Maria Mutola looked keen, Russia's Olga Kotlyarova nervous. Who was going to be the first to lay down the gauntlet. Belarus' Sviatlana Usovich, the converted 400m specialist, looked relaxed. Even I was tense. Amazing.

The wait for the gun was excruciating.

The Kenyan, Janeth Jepkosgei was going to use the same tactic as she used in the semi, catapulting through the first 200m in 26:58 on her way towards a 56:16 split for 400m

She was at first followed by Usovich and Slovenia's Brigita Langerholc, commanding a lead of between 2 to 3m. Mutola was the first to show in an attempt to get at Jepkosgei. The 800m legend looked good in her attempt to bridge the gap however when she came under pressure from Morocco's Hasna Benhassi around the final bend and into the straight Mutola simply folded.

Jepkosgei was gone, victory was assured with Benhassi taking Silver. Spain's Mayte Martínez blasted through to 3rd place in a Personal Best time of 1:57.62, again making the most of her finishing kick to grab a medal.

The Kenyan was absolutely superb and a pure pleasure to watch as she cantered to a classy win over a classy field. The future looks good for this athlete who is unafraid to set her own pace. In 2006, she won the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 800m title, yet a year later she looks to be getting better and better | results |