Rashid Ramzi won Olympic 1500m gold to go with his two world titles. © www.photorun.net
Rashid Ramzi is the new Olympic 1500m champion. The 28-year-old Bahraini won his first Olympic gold in 3:32.94 over the Kenyan Asbel Kiprop (3:33.11) and the New Zealander Nick Willis, who was a surprise winner of the bronze medal in 3:34.16. “This is a huge success for Bahrain because we are only a very small country. They’ll also be celebrating this success in Morocco,” said Ramzi, who is originally from the north African country.
Augustine Choge was the leader for much of the race, dictating the pace at the front. With 250 meters remaining Rashid Ramzi went past him and started a long kick for home. He came under pressure in the homestraight from Kiprop but the double world champion of 2005 (800m and 1500m) kept him at bay and took the gold.
“I’ve not decided yet whether I’ll run the 5,000 meters as well. I’m still having problems sleeping because of the time change,” was Ramzi’s reply to the question of whether he would go for the double victory that Hicham El Guerrouj (Morocco) achieved in Athens four years ago.
After his bronze medal, the 25-year-old Willis said, “It’s a huge success for me and for New Zealand. We have such a great tradition in the middle distances with Peter Snell or John Walker, for example. I think this fresh success can also motivate youngsters to start running.”
Dibaba Against Defar in 5,000m Final
The heats of the women’s 5,000m were also part of Tuesday evening’s schedule. The Olympic 10,000m champion, Tirunesh Dibaba, was on the start line as the next step toward an Olympic double. The Ethiopian won her qualifying heat in 15:09.89 ahead of the Kenyan Sylvia Kibet (15:10.37) and Alemitu Bekele of Turkey (15:10.92).
“I still felt quite tired from the 10,000 meters, but now I can have a rest and concentrate on the final,” said Dibaba, who ran 14:11.15 this year to take the world record from her compatriot Meseret Defar.
For the first time since the 2006 season, the Ethiopian pair will meet each other in Saturday’s Olympic final. Defar won the second semi-final in 14:56.32 over Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya/14:57.27) and Liliya Shobukhova (Russia/14:57.77).
The silver and bronze medalists from the 10,000m will also be in the final for half that distance. Elvan Abeylegesse (Turkey) took fifth place in 14:58.79 in the second semi-final, while the American Shalane Flanagan followed one place behind in 14:59.69. “That wasn’t the final. I’ll run a lot better in the final,” said Abeylegesse. Flanagan said, “Today was tough and no fun at all. But all that counts is that I’m in the final.”
The other Americans, Jennifer Rhines (6th in the first race in 15:15.12) and Kara Goucher (7th in the second race in 15:00.98), also reached the final.
