Paris Recap: A Sensational Men's 5,000, A Troubling Women's 1,500 And David Rudisha's 1:41 Highlight The 2012 Samsung Diamond League Paris Track & Field Meet
By LetsRun.com
July 6 2012
The Samsung Diamond League reached its halfway point as the 7th of 14 meetings took place on Friday evening in Paris (Friday afternoon in the US).
The meet certainly didn't disappoint as there was great action across the board, as Sally Pearson impressed in the 100 hurdles, Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin battled in the 100, and a whole lot more. If you didn't watch the 100, you can now spend 10 seconds and watch it below without knowing the results (don't read the title though).
Mid-d and distance-wise, the meet producsed some stunning results, particularly in the men's 5,000 and women's 1,500. Below we recap those races for you (if we have time, we'll come back and recap the other events). We go in order of significance of the result.
Full results appear here. *IAAF Full Meet Recap Here *Reuters Recap
Men's 5,000: Six Smash 12:50!!!
July 28, 2007. That was the last time someone in the world had beaten 12:50 in the 5,000 - until Friday.
Coming into the race, the talk was that the pacesetters had been instructed to run 12:50 pace. Well guess what? The winning time ended up being significantly faster than that.
Ethiopian Dejen Gebremsekel outkicked compatriot Hagos Gebrhiwet to cap off a 54.66 last lap (that was leader-to-leader, so he was slightly faster) to win in 12:46.81 to Gebrhiwet's new world junior record of 12:47.53 in a race where the top six all broke 12:50 as Kenyan champ Isaiah Koech was third in 12:48.64.
The last 1,600 leader-to-leader? 4:01.01 - (62.39, 62.99, 60.97, 54.66).
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Coming into the race, we said this race would tell us a lot about Kenenisa Bekele's chances for gold in the 5,000 at the Olympics. Well, Bekele ran a seasonal best of 12:55.79 but was only 9th and never in the hunt for the win. With two to go, he was in a chase pack of three behind the lead pack of eight.
Additionally, Kenenisa was only the 5th Ethiopian in the race, as in addition to the top two, 22-year-old Yenew Alamirew also broke 12:50 with a 12:48.77. Bekele also lost to his younger brother Tariku, who PRed at 12:54.13.
So what does this mean? We're virtually certain it means Kenenisa will only run the 10,000 at the Olympics as Ethiopia will likely take the top three from this race for their 5,000 team. Yes, actually Kenenisa has confirmed it himself - he'll only do the 10,000.
As Bekele told Reuters: "I won't be going to the Games to race the 5,000m, But I'm not so disappointed because I have my place in the 10,000m. I don't have enough training under my belt to go in the 5 000m."
QT #1: All of the studs apparently haven't left the track for the marathon as this race produced six of the fastest 14 performers in history (see chart below). Gebremeskel is now the 5th-fastest man in history.
QT #2: We'll repeat what we wrote in our preview about how hard it's going to be for Galen Rupp to medal in the Olympics in the 5,000: "Assuming he loses to his training partner Farah, if Rupp doesn't beat Lagat again, then he has to beat all of the Kenyans and Ethiopians. If he beats Lagat again, then he can lose to exactly one Kenyan or Ethiopian."
Earlier in the year, Rupp's coach Alberto Salazar said the goal was to get Rupp in 12:45 shape. This race shows he'll need to basically be in that shape and able to kick to be able to do it.
Here's a comparison of the Rome 5,000 to the Pre Classic 5,000. Now to be fair, one needs to realize it was much hotter at Pre than in Paris where the conditions were cool and damp - ideal for distance running.
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Pre Classic - Winning Time 12:56.98
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Paris - Winning Time 12:46.81 |
QT#3: This race justifiably generated a ton of talk on the message board. More From The MB: *12:46.81 *Bekele runs 12:55 on a bad day. What are Rupp and Farah thinking? *So what does the 5K results mean? No Gold for Rupp? *Galen Rupp Would Have Been 11th In Paris 5000m *The Fastest 5000m In The Last 2 Years Will Be Run In Paris Friday *Did that Paris 5k set any records for place? *Kenenisa Says He Is Not Defending His 5000m Title
QT#4: Alamirew came in with a PR of 13:00 so he skipped the 12:50s entirely.
QT #5: People need to remember Gebremeskel got bronze at Worlds last year and also beat Lagat in the 5000 in NY (video).
QT #6: The runner-up at the Kenyan Trials, Thomas Longosiwa, broke 12:50, as did the unheralded John Kipkoech, who didn't even show up in the results at the Kenyan Trials. Galen Rupp fans take heart, Kipkoech only ran 13:06 at Pre. Edwin Soi - who was third in the Kenyan Trials - was just behind Bekele in 12:55.89.
QT #7: Until Friday, only 10 guys had ever gone sub-12:50. On Friday, six new guys did it in a single race.
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Results
Intermediate times:
1,000m -Ndiwa, Remmy Limo (KEN) - 2:32.73
2,000m - Ndiwa, Remmy Limo (KEN) - 5:09.66
3,000m - Gathimba, Gideon (KEN) - 7:43.53
4,000m - Koech, Isaiah Kiplangat (KEN) - 10:19.54
Leader Km To KM - 2:32.73, 2:36.93, 2:33.87, 2:36.01, 2:27.27 |
The 16 Sub-12:50 5k Runners In Men's History
8 Minutes Of Race Highlights |
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Women's 1,500: Two Ex Drug Cheats Go 1-2 As Maryam Jamal Is Soundly Beaten
The top two women were simply sensational. After a 62.32 first lap, the pace slowed a bit on lap two (65.81). But 2:08 for the 1st 800 was way too slow for the top two as they ripped a 61.60 third lap - that's crazily fast for a third lap in an honest 1,500. Remember, last year, world #1 Morgan Uceny won a 1,500 on the DL circuit in Lausanne by closing in 61. That lap gave them a big lead and it was now a two-person race.
But they weren't done, as the last 400 - leader to leader - was also 61.66.
The result? A new world-leading time and victory for Mariem Alaoui Selsouli of Morocco at 3:56.17, as she took the lead from Turkey's Aslı Çakir in the last 80 after Çakir did all of the late work in this race. Çakir's second place time was 3:56.62.
But to be truthful, this race was hard to enjoy and is example #1 of why LetsRun.com made a big issue of Mark Block being in the Nike's VIP tent at the Trials. Doping has ruined track and field and it can't be tolerated.
What the hell are we talking about?
Both Selsouli and Çakir are former doping cheats.
We weren't the only ones wondering if these two are currently clean after runs like that today as the message board quickly was filled with doping talk ...
W1500m A JOKE: 1 and 2 served doping bans
22-year-old Abeba Aregawi of Ethiopia, who was the world leader before tonight, ended up a well-beaten third in 3:58.59 in a race where the top five all broke 4:00, including the 4th placer from Worlds last year, Btissam Lakhouad of Morocco.
The one person who seemingly didn't run that well was 2007 and 2009 world champ Maryam Jamal of Bahrain, who was making her 1,500 debut in Paris for the year. Jamal was never a factor and finished 10th in 4:02.84.
QT# 1: This was the second impressive victory of the year for Mariem Alaoui Selsouli. She also won the Pre Classic 3,000 in 8:34. Indoors, she won silver at the WCs.
QT# 2: The 4:02.84 for Jamal isn't a terrible opener - it just seems terrible when the winning time in 3:56.15. That being said, we have a hard time seeing her being a contender at the Olympics.
QT# 3: Ignoring our outrage for the dopers going 1-2 for a minute, we have to ask why didn't Abeba Aregawi run better? She ran 3:56 earlier in the year. If she runs that here, she's in the mix.
QT# 2: Çakir's runner-up time of 3:56.62 was a huge 5.52 PR.
QT #3: Kenyan 5,000 runner Viola Kibiwot broke 4:00 in this race - a big PR for her (previous best was 4:02.10). The 14:34 5ker will likely be in the mix for a medal in London in the 5,000.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Result | Diamond Points | Diamond Ranking | ||
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1
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MAR
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3:56.15
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WL,NR
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4
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3
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2
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TUR
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3:56.62
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PB
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2
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4
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3
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ETH
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3:58.59
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11
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1
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4
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KEN
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3:59.25
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PB
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5
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MAR
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3:59.65
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SB
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1
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6
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6
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UKR
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4:01.16
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PB
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1
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6
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7
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KEN
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4:01.43
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2
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4
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8
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GBR
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4:02.13
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SB
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9
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MAR
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4:02.59
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SB
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10
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BRN
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4:02.84
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11
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NOR
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4:03.71
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SB
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12
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KEN
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4:04.26
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PB
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13
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ESP
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4:04.84
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PB
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14
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FRA
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4:09.09
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SB
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RUS
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DNF
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Intermediate Times:
400m - Luchkina, Anna (RUS) - 1:02.31
800m - Luchkina, Anna (RUS) - 2:08.12
1,200m - Çakir Alptekin, Asli (TUR) - 3:09.72
Men's 800: David Rudisha 1:41.54
This race was hyped as a world record attempt by Kenya's David Rudisha, and while Rudisha didn't get the record, he did put on a show just like he did in New York when he ran 1:41.74, as he ran a new world leader of 1:41.54.
Coming in, our concern was: Who was going to help him get Rudisha to the world record as his standard rabbit in Sammy Tangui really doesn't do a whole lot as he rarely makes it past 450.
Our fears were proven to be correct, as Tangui was awful. The goal was to go out in 48.8 to 48.9 but Tangui coudln't even do that. Tangui had a terrible start initially and then sprinted too fast for the first 200 so he already had a 5-meter gap on Rudisha. But before 400, Tangui was tiring and he was caught before 400, which Rudisha ran in 49.37.
The record seemed to be off at this point, but Rudisha was still a sight to behold on the last lap as he went through 600 in 1:14.79 en route to victory.
Behind Rudisha, there theoretically was a battle for second but no one in the field even got under the Olympic A, including Austrlian Lachlan Renshaw, whom we believe needed it to go to London. Oregon's Elijah Greer was eighth in 1:46.59.
After the race, Reuters caught up with Rudisha: "In perfect conditions I would have broken the record. This time it wasn't possible because of the wet track, and also the pacemaker could have been a little faster. It was simply too chilly for a record."
QT #1: Hard to believe that this was only the fifth-fastest time of Rudisha's career.
1 1:41.01 David Rudisha Rieti 29.08.2010
2 1:41.09 David Rudisha Berlin 22.08.2010
3 1:41.33 David Rudisha Rieti 10.09.2011
4 1:41.51 David Rudisha Heusden-Zolder 10.07.2010
5 1:41.54 David Rudisha Paris 6.07.2012
QT #2: Tangui has to be the luckiest guy alive as he's not very good for a rabbit. We guess his only selling point is he's so maxed out near 800 WR pace that he can't get out much faster than about 49 flat, which is better than someone taking it out in 47 flat.
More: MB: Elijah Greer - Welcome to the MF Big Leagues
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Results
Intermediate Times: |
Race Video |
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Men's Steeple: Paul Kipsiele Koech May Have Punched His Ticket To London, But Brimin Kipruto Wins Our Praise
2012 world leader Paul Kipsiele Koech got his third Diamond League win of the season as he ripped the last lap in 60.97 to win in 8:00.57. In the process, Koech, who was only 7th in the Kenyan Trials as he annually struggles at altitude, may have locked up a spot on the Kenyan Olympic team if Ezekiel Kemboi is pulled from the team after his recent arrest in Kenya.
At the bell, there were four runners in contention, as 2008 Olympic champ Brimin Kipruto, who was the winner of the Kenyan Trials a few weeks ago (only after Kemboi pulled up even with him on the straight and seemingly let him win), and the third and fourth placers at the Kenyan Trials in Abel Mutai and Jairus Birech were within striking distance. Kipruto ended up second best (8:01.73) with Mutai third (8:03.15) and Birech fourth (8:03.43).
QT# 1: Koech got the win but Kipruto is the guy to look for in our minds come the Olympics. He's proven himself at the highest level before, having won Worlds in 2007 and the Olympics in 2008 (and three other medals) and he is moving in the right direction. Remember, Kipsiele Koech was running 7:56 at the start of the Diamond League season on May 11th in Shanghai but now isn't breaking 8:00. In Shanghai, Kipruto ran 8:26.59 but now is running 8:01.73. Kipruto is peaking when it matters most.
QT #2: The 8:03.43 for Birech in 4th was a new PR. Pretty good for a 19-year-old. To be truthful, if we were Kenyan selectors, we wouldn't rule him out for the Olympics.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Result | Diamond Points | Diamond Ranking | ||
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1
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KEN
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8:00.57
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MR
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12
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1
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2
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KEN
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8:01.73
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SB
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2
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3
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3
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KEN
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8:03.15
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3
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2
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4
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KEN
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8:03.43
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PB
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1
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5
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5
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MAR
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8:11.72
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6
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ETH
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8:13.65
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1
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5
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7
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KEN
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8:15.33
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8
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KEN
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8:17.88
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SB
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9
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ETH
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8:18.63
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SB
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10
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FRA
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8:22.61
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SB
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11
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POL
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8:31.02
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SB
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12
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FRA
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8:36.01
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KEN
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DNF
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KEN
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DNF
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2
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3
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KEN
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DNF
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Intermediate Times:
1,000m - Lagat, Haron (KEN) - 2:37.85
2,000m - Koech, Paul Kipsiele (KEN) - 5:22.11
Women's Steeple: Habiba Boudraa Ghribi Gets The Win
2012 world #1 Milcah Chemos and 2012 world #2 Sofia Assefa, who went 1-2 in Shanghai, Eugene and Oslo were no shows. But World Championships silver medallist from 2011, Habiba Ghribi, did show up and took the win in a slow race in 9:28.81. Ghribi had a different last name last year - Boudraa - and thus we missed her in our preview. Kenya's Lidya Chepkurui, who was 6th in the Kenyan Trials, was second.
QT #1: Want to know why the sport is struggling for popularity? How can it be that the top two people expected to race don't show and the fans are supposed to tolerate it?
QT#2: This race will be remembered more down the road by the belly flop by France's Claire Navez (video below).
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Result | Diamond Points | Diamond Ranking | ||
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1
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TUN
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9:28.81
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MR
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4
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3
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2
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KEN
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9:29.02
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3
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4
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3
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ETH
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9:29.57
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7
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2
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4
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ETH
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9:29.89
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5
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TUR
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9:30.02
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6
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ETH
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9:30.24
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2
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5
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7
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ETH
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9:36.41
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8
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GBR
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9:37.41
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9
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KEN
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9:40.12
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10
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FRA
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9:49.44
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SB
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11
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KEN
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10:00.13
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12
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POL
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10:01.38
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FRA
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DNF
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KEN
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DQ
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R 169.7a
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FRA
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DNS
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Men's 100 Video
*IAAF Full Meet Recap Here *Reuters Recap
| Time (CET) | Discipline | Men / Women | Status | POINTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18:25 | LIFA Relay | Women | Result | ||
| 18:30 |
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Triple Jump | Men | Result | Standings |
| 18:33 |
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Discus Throw | Women | Result | Standings |
| 18:35 | LIFA Relay | Men | Result | ||
| 18:45 |
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Shot Put | Men | Result | Standings |
| 18:45 | LIFA 800m | Women | Result | ||
| 18:55 | LIFA 1500m | Men | Result | ||
| 19:05 | National 200m | Men | Result | ||
| 19:15 | National 400m | Men | Result | ||
| 19:25 |
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3000m Steeplechase | Women | Result | Standings |
| 19:30 |
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Pole Vault | Men | Result | Standings |
| 20:03 |
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400m Hurdles | Men | Result | Standings |
| 20:05 |
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High Jump | Women | Result | Standings |
| 20:10 |
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Long Jump | Women | Result | Standings |
| 20:13 |
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400m | Women | Result | Standings |
| 20:23 |
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3000m Steeplechase | Men | Result | Standings |
| 20:38 |
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Javelin Throw | Men | Result | Standings |
| 20:38 |
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1500m | Women | Result | Standings |
| 20:48 |
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200m | Women | Result | Standings |
| 20:58 |
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5000m | Men | Result | Standings |
| 21:22 |
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100m Hurdles | Women | Result | Standings |
| 21:36 |
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800m | Men | Result | Standings |
| 21:46 |
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100m | Men | Result | Standings |
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