2010 Stockholm Distance Recap: Chris Solinsky Runs 12:55.53 As Galen Rupp Drops Out, Nancy Langat Wins Again, Chaos In Men's 800m

By: LetsRun.com
August 6, 2010

The highlight of the DN Galan Stockholm Diamond League meet no doubt was Tyson Gay's 9.84 thrashing of Usain Bolt (9.97) in the 100m. You can watch that race and read all about that here.

In other non-distance action, Lolo Jones lost her first DL event, Allyson Felix won again, and Bershawn Jackson destroyed the hurdles field. Reuters recap here.

In the distance races, there was one US highlight, Chris Solinsky's 12:55.53 5th-place finish in the 5k. We recap that run and the other distance races here.

Non-Distance Coverage: *Tyson Gay Crushes Usain Bolt In Stockholm 100m Battle Recap and video.
*Reuters Recap
*Results
*More Stockholm Video From Swedish Site

Distance Action
Men's 5k: Kiptoo Wins, Solinsky Runs 12:55.53, #2 Time Ever By An American
The men's 5k was a strange race.

It started at a super-fast pace and, despite some uneven opening laps, the first 2 km were each covered in a quick 2:33. (2:33 is 12:45 pace). The pack was strung out single file as the quick pace was taking it's toll. Then things slowed down dramatically. The next 2km were each roughly 2:39 (2:39 is 13:15 pace, if they had run 2:39 the last km the final time would have been 13:03). The slower pace let the field bunch back up and get together again.

Up attached to the lead pack were both Americans, Chris Solinsky (the world leader in the 10k in 2010) and Galen Rupp (NCAA star in 2009). Solinsky was in the middle of the pack and Rupp behind him, but they were in striking position for once the real running began.

As they came around for 2 laps to go, Rupp was nowhere to be seen. He had dropped out (this message board poster says Rupp fell on the inside rail with 1,000m to go and that has been confirmed by Rupp's coach Alberto Salazar, who told trackfocus.com that Rupp was tripped with less than 3 laps to go). Solinsky was in the thick of things as the race was on.

After having run 63 seconds and change the previous 3 laps, the penultimate lap was a 61.69 and at the bell (11:57), six runners were in contention: Mark Kiptoo (3rd at recent African champs, ran 12:57 last year, had only run 13:31 this year), Dejen Gebremeskel (2nd at Pre), Imane Merga (wins in Oslo and Rome), Eliud Kipchoge (world-leading 12:51 this year), Vincent Chepkok (has run 12:51 this year, won in Gateshead in last race) and Solinsky.

The racing was on and the final 100m it was clear Solinsky did not have the gear necessary to win. He would lower his PR to 12:55.53 (from 12:56.66).

The final 100m looked like the final 100m of nearly every Diamond League meet this year, total chaos with tons of people vying for the win. This time Kiptoo, Gebremeskel, Merga, and Kipchoge were all in contention. With 50m to go, Kipchoge had cracked and it was a 3-man race. It remained a 3-man race to the wire as only .12 separated the top 3, but Kiptoo got the win (12:53.46, 56 last lap), Gebremeskel was second, and Merga third.

Final Lap Of Men's 5,000m

Men's 5000m Results 1 KIPTOO, Mark Kosgei KEN 12:53.46 PB 4 5 2 GEBREMESKEL, Dejen ETH 12:53.56 PB 4 6 3 MERGA, Imane ETH 12:53.58 PB 12 1 4 KIPCHOGE, Eliud KEN 12:54.36 6 2 5 SOLINSKY, Chris USA 12:55.53 PB 6 CHEPKOK, Vincent Kiprop KEN 12:58.17 6 2 7 MBISHEI, Titus KEN 13:00.04 PB 8 CHOGE, Augustine Kiprono KEN 13:04.64 9 LONGOSIWA, Thomas Pkemei KEN 13:05.60 SB 10 YATOR, Vincent KEN 13:06.15 11 EBUYA, Joseph KEN 13:13.14 12 KISORIO, Matthew Kipkoech KEN 13:14.72 13 MORAN, Ed USA 13:20.25 PB 14 KURUI, James Kwalia QAT 13:21.05 15 VAN DEVENTER, Juan RSA 13:22.64 16 BIWOTT, Yusuf Kibet KEN 13:25.03 17 ROTICH, Lucas Kimeli KEN 13:31.89 18 BIRMINGHAM, Collis AUS 13:31.96 GATHIMBA, Gideon KEN DNF RUPP, Galen USA DNF SIMOTWO, Suleiman KEN DNF

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Men's 800m: European Champ Lewandowski Wins After Kaki Drops Out After Getting Tangled Up With Khadevis Robinson

This was a strange race. American Khadevis Robinson has been doing a great job of rabbiting all season in Europe. He took the field through in 51.35, a moderately slow pace, but it's not like Abubaker Kaki (undefeated in 2010) was right on him. Robinson would hit 600 in a pedestrian (for this level) 1:18.74, but the field in many ways was acting like it was a much faster race, as the entire bunch except for one was content to stay behind Kaki, who trailed Robinson. We assume they thought they would never be ahead of Kaki, so why pass him?

One runner, European champ Marcin Lewandowski, realized the pace was slow and saw an opening on the inside of Kaki and tried to pass Kaki on the inside before 600m with Robinson on the front. It was a very small area and once Lewandowski went through it, there was nowhere to go. Robinson was still in front of him and about to hit the 600m mark. So Lewandowski pushed Robinson on the back hoping to give him impetus to drop out. Instead, Robinson continued a slow veer outside and then got entangled with Kaki. No one went down but pandemonium ensured. Kaki would drop out, gesturing at Robinson, and from behind American Andrew Wheating (who had been running not completely in the back for a change) would have to jump outside to get out of the way of the tangled-up mess.

There was no looking back for Lewandowski. He was the best guy down the homestretch. Britain's Michael Rimmer, who finished just behind him at Europeans, made a late charge but it was too little too late (Rimmer was DQed after the race for rule 163.6 "An athlete, after voluntarily leaving the track, shall not be allowed to continue in the race."). American Nick Symmonds would finish 5th (moved up to 4th) in 1:45.32 (only .26 behind the winner) and Leo Manzano, who had bided his time in the back, ran 1:45.41 for 5th. America's wonder kid in 2010, Andrew Wheating, found unleashing his patented kick off the back is a different thing when you get bumped and tangled up in European-style racing and was not in the thick of it down the stretch in 1:46.51. He did finish ahead of 1,500m world champ Yusuf Kamel, who was last in his first race of 2010.

Men's 800m

1 LEWANDOWSKI, Marcin POL 1:45.06   2 KIVUNA, Jackson Mumbwa KEN 1:45.28   3 LALANG, Boaz KEN 1:45.31   4 SYMMONDS, Nick USA 1:45.32   5 MANZANO, Leonel USA 1:45.41   6 YEGO, Alfred Kirwa KEN 1:46.41   7 WHEATING, Andrew USA 1:46.51   8 KAMEL, Yusuf Saad BRN 1:46.86     KAKI KHAMIS, Abubaker SUD DNF     ROBINSON, Khadevis USA DNF     RIMMER, Michael GBR DQ   Intermediate times: 400m Robinson, Khadevis (USA) 51.35 600m Robinson, Khadevis (USA) 1:18.74

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Women's 1,500m: Nancy Langat The Best 1,500m Runner In The World (And The Best Never To Have Broken 4:00)

Nancy Langat is the best 1,500m runner in the world at the moment and is the Olympic champ. She still has never broken 4:00 for 1,500m.

The women hit the bell in 3:00 and the race was on. Langat was clearly best over the final lap over world leader Anna Alminova. The win was never in jeopardy down the homestretch. Would she dip under the 4:00 barrier? ... No.

The stellar American contingent disappointed. They were generally spectators in the pack instead of movers and shakers. The top American was Morgan Uceny, the least pedigreed of the group. Christin Wurth Thomas was DQed after the race for IAAF rule 163.2 (jostling another athlete).

1	LANGAT, Nancy Jebet	KEN	4:00.70
2	ALMINOVA, Anna	RUS	4:01.53
3	BELETE, Mimi	BRN	4:01.64
4	ARIGAWI, Abeba	ETH	4:01.98
5	UCENY, Morgan	USA	4:02.72
6	BURKA, Gelete	ETH	4:02.84
7	ROWBURY, Shannon	USA	4:02.95
8	JAMAL, Maryam Yusuf	BRN	4:03.29	SB
9	TWELL, Stephanie	GBR	4:04.25
10	PIERCE, Anna	USA	4:04.52	SB
11	MÅKESTAD, Ingvill	NOR	4:04.92
12	YEVDOKIMOVA, Natalya	RUS	4:07.13
13	ENGLAND, Hannah	GBR	4:07.86
14	SCHOENBEK, Charlotte	SWE	4:11.29
	TVERDOSTUP, Tamara	UKR	DNF
	WURTH-THOMAS, Christin	USA	DQ	R 163.2

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