by Larry Eder
Genzebe Dibaba, photo by PhotoRun.net
G. Dibaba 3:54.11, Souleiman 1:43.08 – World leads
BARCELONA (ESP, Jul 8): At Catalonia Open Championships in the Estadi Municipal Serrahime of Barcelona Genzebe Dibaba wrote a piece of middle distance history. After her 5000 m personal best in Paris on Saturday she won here the 1500 m in superb African record and World leading 3:54.11 in a solo race (2nd Solange Pereira 4:12.42). Her previous bests were 3:57.54 outdoor in 2013 and 3:55.17 World Indoor record in 2014. Previous African record 3:55.30 by Algerian Hassiba Boulmerka comes also from Barcelona (but Montjuic stadium) when she won the Olympic gold in 1992. It is also 3rd best non-Chinese all-time best behind Tatyana Kazankina 3:52.47 in 1980 at Zurich Weltklasse meet and Paula Ivan 3:53.96 when winning Olympic gold 1988 in Seoul. When counting Chinese marks it is 9th best time ever and best since 1997 that means after nearly 18 years. Also great Djibouti´s Ayanleh Souleiman who won the 800 m in World leading national record 1:43.08. Second Kenyan junior Robert Biwott 1:43.56 PB and 7th best all-time junior performer. Third Qatari Musaeb Balla 1:43.82 national record. Fourth Edwin Melly 1:44.50 and fifth Nader Belhanbel of Morocco 1:44.64 PB. Hillary Maiyo won the 1500 m in 3:35.20 over Spanish Adel Mechaal 3:36.55 PB and US Garrett Heath 3:36.62. Hamid Ezzine topped the steeple in 8:27.09 and Cuban double in women 800 m Rose Mary Almanza 2:01.70 over Sahily Diago 2:02.01. Ethiopian Leul Gebrselassie was the best in the 5000 m 13:15.07 beating Kenyan Moses Koech (18) 13:15.56 PB and Eritrean Aron Kifle (17 years old) 13:17.62 national youth record. Australian champion Ella Nelson won the 200 m in 23.25 (0.0), Josephine Oniya was the best over the hurdles 13.05 (0.0), in men hurdles Yidiel Contreras in 13.62 (+0.3) beat Jamaican Dwight Thomas 13.73. In technical events Frank Casanas won the discus 61.49, Venezuelan pole vault talent Rosbeilys Peinado cleared 435 and Brazilian Eliane Martins won the long jump 649 (+0.6). Julia Takacs topped 5000 m walk in 22:41.48.
BARCELONA (ESP, Jul 8): At Catalonia Open Championships in the Estadi Municipal Serrahime of Barcelona Genzebe Dibaba wrote a piece of middle distance history. After her 5000 m personal best in Paris on Saturday she won here the 1500 m in superb African record and World leading 3:54.11 in a solo race (2nd Solange Pereira 4:12.42). Her previous bests were 3:57.54 outdoor in 2013 and 3:55.17 World Indoor record in 2014. Previous African record 3:55.30 by Algerian Hassiba Boulmerka comes also from Barcelona (but Montjuic stadium) when she won the Olympic gold in 1992. It is also 3rd best non-Chinese all-time best behind Tatyana Kazankina 3:52.47 in 1980 at Zurich Weltklasse meet and Paula Ivan 3:53.96 when winning Olympic gold 1988 in Seoul. When counting Chinese marks it is 9th best time ever and best since 1997 that means after nearly 18 years. Also great Djibouti´s Ayanleh Souleiman who won the 800 m in World leading national record 1:43.08. Second Kenyan junior Robert Biwott 1:43.56 PB and 7th best all-time junior performer. Third Qatari Musaeb Balla 1:43.82 national record. Fourth Edwin Melly 1:44.50 and fifth Nader Belhanbel of Morocco 1:44.64 PB. Hillary Maiyo won the 1500 m in 3:35.20 over Spanish Adel Mechaal 3:36.55 PB and US Garrett Heath 3:36.62. Hamid Ezzine topped the steeple in 8:27.09 and Cuban double in women 800 m Rose Mary Almanza 2:01.70 over Sahily Diago 2:02.01. Ethiopian Leul Gebrselassie was the best in the 5000 m 13:15.07 beating Kenyan Moses Koech (18) 13:15.56 PB and Eritrean Aron Kifle (17 years old) 13:17.62 national youth record. Australian champion Ella Nelson won the 200 m in 23.25 (0.0), Josephine Oniya was the best over the hurdles 13.05 (0.0), in men hurdles Yidiel Contreras in 13.62 (+0.3) beat Jamaican Dwight Thomas 13.73. In technical events Frank Casanas won the discus 61.49, Venezuelan pole vault talent Rosbeilys Peinado cleared 435 and Brazilian Eliane Martins won the long jump 649 (+0.6). Julia Takacs topped 5000 m walk in 22:41.48.
Editor’s note: Genzebe Dibaba had a fantastic run last weekend in Paris. Her velocity, when she took off with one lap to go, showed one thing: Dibaba cared only for the win in Paris, and she was running within herself.
The race in Barcelona was another thing. Second place was 20 seconds back, and unless she tripped over her own shoe laces, she was going to win. Fine shape, and incredible speed , but a very early peak? If I am Almaz Ayana, I am smiling now. In World Championship years, one keeps their A game until World Championships.
But, I have been wrong before. In 1968 I supported my beloved Saint Louis Cardinals (Curt Flood, Bob Gibson, Dal Maxvill) and they lost to Detroit Tigers in that World Series thing we do in the former colonies. It took me many years of therapy to get over that one….
