Meseret Defar in New York. © Victor Sailer
An Ethiopian—but not Kenenisa Bekele—produced the first great result of the new season in long-distance track running. At the Reebok Grand Prix meet in New York City on June 3, Meseret Defar became the first African woman to break the world record at 5,000 meters; she clocked 14:24.53 minutes for the distance. The 22-year-old improved the old mark set by Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey by a slight margin of .15 seconds. Abeylegesse, who originally comes from Ethiopia, had run her record in Bergen, Norway, two years ago.
Defar, the reigning Olympic 5,000m champion made sure she would get the world record by sprinting a last lap of 61 seconds. “Haile Gebrselassie had given me the confidence,” Defar said after her record run. “He had said, ‘Go to New York—I know you can break the world record. I was very confident when I saw the split time before the last lap.” Defar added “I will try to further improve the world record. This season I want to run five Golden League meetings. And I hope to win all of them.”
The men’s 5,000m race in New York also produced a significant result. Kenya’s Abraham Chebii, a KIMbia athlete, improved the U.S. all-comers record with his winning time of 13:04.55 minutes. Chebii was a bit more than one second faster than the old record, set all the way back in 1984 by Morroco’s, Said Aouita when he ran 13:05.59 to win the event a the Los Angeles Olympics.
Shock for Bekele in Oslo
The day before the New York meet, Oslo had kicked off this season’s IAAF Golden League Series, and right at the start there was a big surprise—Kenya’s. Isaac Songok won the 5,000m against Ethiopia’s world record holder Kenenisa Bekele. To remain in contention for a share of the Golden League jackpot of $1 million, Bekele now has to win each of the remaining five Golden League meets.
Normally, Bekele is nearly invincible on the last lap. This time, however, Songok sprinted away during the last 200 meters, and clocked a world-leading time of 12:55.79 minutes more than two seconds ahead of Bekele. Songok, who brings 3:30 minutes 1500m speed to the longer race, placed second behind Bekele over 4 kilometers at the World Cross Country Championships in April. Bekele’s last loss at 5,000m was to Morroco’s Hicham El Guerrouj in the 2004 Olympics. “I am the most surprised,” Songok said after his victory. “I never thought I would be able to win this race. But I felt fine and strong on the last lap.”
Another Ethiopian jackpot contender, though, did win in Oslo. Tirunesh Dibaba, the double world champion last year at 5,000m and 10,000m, clocked a personal best of 14:30.40 to win the 5,000m. She beat her elder sister Ejegayehu, who ran 14:33.52 and Kenya’s Edith Masai. Masai ran a Kenyan record of 14:33.84. “I am happy with the time and the win,” the younger Dibaba said on the day of her 21st birthday.
Benita Johnson Wins 5K in New York
On the morning of Meseret Defar’s 5,000m world record, another big race was held in New York. The 28th edition of the Freihofer’s Run for Women 5K took place in New York’s state capital, Albany. In pouring rain, Australia’s Benita Johnson beat a high-class field that included nine Olympians. Clocking 15:27, Johnson was two seconds ahead of Ukraine’s Natalya Berkut. Former Kenyan Lornah Kiplagat, who is now a dutch citizen, took third place in 15:47.
Tolossa and Chelangat Take Rock n’ Roll Marathon
San Diego’s Rock n’ Roll Marathon which also included a half marathon, attracted a field of around 20,000 runners on Sunday, June 6. The main race was over the classic, 26.2-mile distance. Ethiopia’s Ambesse Tolossa beat a number of strong Kenyans with a strong second half. His 2:10:08 hours placed him comfortably ahead of Kenya’s Simon Bor, who ran 2:10:37. Another Kenyan, KIMbia athlete Stephen Kiogora, was third in 2:11:45. Alice Chelangat won the women’s race. The Kenyan clocked 2:28:21 and was ahead of countrywoman Hellen Kimutai (2:28:44). Russia’s Lyubov Morgunova was third in 2:29:39.
