Mottram (8.03,50) Wins Pre 2-Mile Classic

Story written by EPelle

Australian Craig Mottram, a 2007 IAAF World Championships 5.000m gold medal hope, won the Prefontaine Classic Grand Prix 2-mile yesterday evening - smashing nearly nine seconds off his previous personal best and Australian record, and in the process, clocking the sixth-fastest time ever in the distance, 8.03,50.

Mottram entered the meet after suffering a slight setback at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York last week (results link), finishing third in the mile (3.54,54 SB) to Americans Alan Webb (3.52,94) and Bernard Lagat (3.53,88), but bounced back in superb fashion in the 12-strong field Sunday, covering his mile splits in 4.04,0 and 3.59,5.

"It's a win and it is better than last week and better than three weeks ago and I will be a lot better in two months. I was strong today. I will take the fast time but it doesn't mean much come August; I will have to beat five or six more of them," he told the Register-Guard.

Mottram handed Ethiopia's Tariku Bekele (8.04,83) a spirited defeat in front of a standing-room only crowd at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field, which let out a loud roar when third-place finisher, American Matt Tegenkamp, crossed the line in 8.07,07 - setting an American record by sheering more than four seconds off of the two-year-old record national standard set at the 2005 Pre Classic. Free video of the race can be found here courtesy of NBC.

Bekele, who is the younger brother of 5.000m and 10.000m world-record holder Kenenisa Bekele, holds 7.29,11 3.000m and 12.53,81 5.000m personal bests - both Ethiopian national junior records, is 0-5 lifetime against Mottram. They've clashed twice at 5.000m (13.03,37-13.12,49 in Bislett in 2004; 13.32,96 - 13.34,76 at the 2005 World Championships), and the young Ethiopian has also been unsuccessful at beating Mottram indoors at the 2-mile distance, with Mottram winning the 2005 BIG Boston indoor Games in 8.26,54 to Bekele's 4th-place 8.27,56. Mottram also defeated the younger Bekele in their only 3.000m clash as well, with Mottram finishing third in the 2005 Zürich Weltklasse in 7.38,03 to Bekele's ninth-place 7.43,47.

Webb set the previous American record in finishing 2nd in the 2005 Pre Classic 2-mile to Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge, 8.07,68 to 8.11,48, but managed only a ninth-place finish (8.23,97) on Sunday.

Mottram lingered back in the middle of the pack for the first 1.320 yards of the eight-lap race right in front of Webb, but made a decisive move up behind Bekele and the two pace-makers in the race to hit a very good first mile split at a desirable pace (rabbits were asked to split 4.03).

Bekele and Mottram held tempo and command of the race, and made decisive moves at the beginning of the final lap, but Tegenkamp, who began making a long charge with three laps remaining - running just ahead of American Dathan Ritzenhein (8.11,74) - had launched into his own extended kick with 300m remaining.

Mottram passed Bekele on the backstraight with approximately 250m remaining and held a comfortable lead heading into the homestretch - where he began waiving to the crowd with 40m remaining. Neither Bekele nor Tegenkamp were able to gain on Mottram following his explosive kick.

Mottram, whose previous best was established in a victory over Kenya's Boniface Songok - 8.11,27 to 8.12,86 - at the 2005 Norwich Union Grand Prix in Sheffield, England (results link), holds seven track and road national Australian records, and appears to be in excellent form heading to the world championships to be contested in August in Osaka, Japan, where he is one of the favourites.

Mottram's 2-mile time equates to a 7.27,69 3.000m according to Track & Field News, with Bekele's new personal best equating to a 7.29,85, followed by Tegenkamp netting a 7.31,0 equivalent.

"It's too early to get too wound up about the world championships just yet," Mottram said to Australia's Herald Sun newspaper.

Indeed, the European season has not yet kicked off (the Oslo Golden League Meet is first on tap this Friday), yet Mottram is in excellent position heading into what promises to be an exciting year for the 2005 bronze medalist at 5.000m, and 2006 Commonwealth Games champion.

The world two-mile record - 7.58,61 - was set by Kenya's Daniel Komen in Hechtel, Belgium in 1998. Komen, the only man who has broken the eight-minute barrier, twice achieved the mark, with his second-best effort - 7.58,91 - set in a 1998 blow-out in Sydney, Australia. The only other person on the all-time in front of Mottram is Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie, the outer-worldly two-time Olympic and nine-time World Champion (indoors, outdoors, road), who ran 8.01,08 in Hengelo in 1997, and followed that effort up with great performances at Hengelo (8.01,86) and London (8.01,72) two seasons later.

Mottram is traveling back to his London base camp in preparation for his first European Circuit race on 27-June in Ostrava Golden Spike meeting, where he will contest the Emil Zatopek Memorial 5.000m (meet site), a favourite stop for early-season fast times and excellent racing. Kenya's Stephen Cherono holds the meet record in the event, running 12.48,81 there in 2003.

Mottram holds a lifetime best of 12.55,76 in the 5.000m, and has broken the magical 13.00-minute barrier a total of three times (12.56,13, 12.58,19).

The top-10 2-mile times outdoors:

1. Daniel Komen (KEN) 1997 7.58,61
2. Daniel Komen (KEN) 1998 7.58,91
3. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 1997 8.01,08
4. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 1999 8.01,72
5. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 1999 8.01,86
6. Craig Mottram (AUS) 2007 8.03,50
7. Daniel Komen (ETH) 1996 8.03,54
8. Tariku Bekele (ETH) 2007 8.04,53
9. Matt Tegenkamp (USA) 2007 8.07,07
10. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 1995 8.07,46

Mottram's Personal Best Track Times:

• 1.500m: 3.33,97
• Mile: 3.48,98 (3.54,81 indoors)
  
• 2.000m: 4.50,76
  
• 3.000m: 7.32,19 (7.39,24 indoors)
  
• 2-Mile: 8.03,50 (8.26,54 indoors)
  
• 5.000m: 12.55,76
• 10.000m: 27.50,55

For a full-list of the all-time 2-milers, please go to www.alltime-athletics.com, or click this link here for immediate access to the list.

Bekele Opens 2007 in Winning Fashion

Story written by EPelle

Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele, winner of five consecutive IAAF World Cross Country Championships long- and short-course titles, obliterated his competition at the Event Scotland Edinburgh international Cross Country today, winning on the 9,3km course in 28.14.

Bekele, who has both sworn off and then verbally reconsidered competiting for any further accolades in the spring championships, defeated rival 10.000m runner Zersenay Tadesse Zersenay, the 2004 Olympic Bronze medalist, by 10 seconds.

Bekele's arch Kenyan rival Eliud Kipchoge, who, like Zersenay, became the first athletes to run under 27.00 over a 10km course in Spain two weeks ago, finished in third place, 37 seconds behind Bekele (full results).

According to a race description provided by onrunning.com (link), Bekele produced one of the most spectacular displays of running ever seen during a race at the elite level, when, with three laps remaining of the 9,3km course, he upped the ante and dropped his opponents - a move none were able to counter.

Ethiopian teammate Gelete Burka captured the women's 6,1km race in 23.25, nine seconds ahead of both Vivian Cheruiyot (2nd) and Benita Johnson, who finished with the bronze.

The reigning Olympic (2004) and World 10.000m (2003) champion extended his cross country winning streak to 26-straight since suffering his last defeat to Haile Gebrselassie in December 2001. He was pushed to the wire by Saif Saaeed Shaheen last year, when Bekele described himself as being tired, but was focused and prepared on this year's race.

"It was a good beginning to 2007," Bekele is quoted as stating by onrunning.com.

"I am very happy that I won my first race of the year.

"I expected it because of the training I have done."

Bekele, by far the most gifted cross country and long distance track athlete on the planet, stated yesterday that he lacks motivation to continue running in the world cross country championships.

"The motivation may not be there any more," he stated yesterday, according to The Herald (link).

"I don't know if I have the same hunger," he confided.

"That's why I won't do the world-cross again. I still want to improve my times, run fast on the track. I may try for some world records this year. I don't know where, or which one, either the 5000 or 10,000 metres. They are both my favourite events, but I think the 5000m record is harder."

However, IAAF post-race reports quote Bekele as stating he may consider running at the Cross Country World Championships if there is a new challenge.

Bekele’s manager, Jos Hermens, said that the 24-year-old Ethiopian is only 80 per cent fit, adding “he is a little bit chubby and could have been more prepared,” something one should possibly take with a grain of salt.

Bekele, who has broken 13.00-flat 13 times in his career, set the world 5.000m record of 12.37,35 in Hengelo nearly three years ago, swiping 2,01 seconds from Haile Gebrselassie's world and national record time of 12.39,36 set in Helsinki six years before that.

He first set the 10.000m world record of 26.20,31 in Ostrava in 2004, and eclipsed that with a mark of 26.17,53 one year later in Bruxelles.

Gebrselassie held the previous world record (26.22,75), a mark which he set in Hengelo in 1998.

The Herald quotes Bekele has stated that doubling up at either this August's world championships or next year's Olympic Games would be off the cards, citing that he'd prefer to race great in one race, rather than run two poor races.

Bekele was upstaged in the 2003 IAAF World 5.000m Championships in Paris after taking the 10.000m gold when Kipchoge (12.52,79) held off mile world-record holder Hicham El Guerrouj (12.52,83) by 0,04 seconds for the gold, with Bekele finishing with a bronze (12.53,12).

Bekele tried his hand at the double the following year in Athens, winning the 10.000m (27.05,10) ahead of teammate Sileshi Sihine (27.09,39) and Tadesse (27.22,57), but falling short to a reverse 1-3 world champs finish from El Guerrouj (13.14,39) and Kipchoge (13.15,10), running 13.14,59 to earn silver in a race which played into El Guerrouj's hand as a strong kicker.

Two years ago, running in his third major track championship, Bekele opted to contest the 10.000m only, narrowly edging out Sihine (27.08,87) and Kenyan Moses Mosop (27.08,96) by a total spread of 0,63 seconds. Bekele was tested to the limit and ran 27.08,33 - the 2nd-fastest winning time in meet history behind his 2003 triumph (26.49,57) - a race which he negative split under 13.00 to close out the 2nd 5.000m segment.

Perhaps it is high time for Bekele to rest during the spring months, and get in optimal athletics training for the busy summer ahead. He has demonstrated the capability to run hard and run fast following cross country training, and even snuck in a gold medal in the 3.000m at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships to boot.

It shall be a marvel to see what Bekele can do in 2007 with his concentrations focussed specifically on the track rather than the hills.

Kenenisa Bekele was born 1982-13-June in Bekoji, Arsi Province, Ethiopia.

He holds personal bests of 3.33,08 (2006), 7.30,67 (2001), 12.37,35 (2004), 26.17,53 (2005) and 42.42 over 15km (2001).

9,3km Results (Courtesy IAAF):

Men’s Race (9.3km)1 K Bekele (ETH) 28:14; 2 Z Tadesse (ERI) 28:24; 3 E Kipchoge KEN) 28:51; 4 F Joseph (TAN) 28:52; 5 G Gebremariam (ETH) 29:00; 6 D Ritzenhein (USA) 29:02; 7 S Bairu (CAN) 30:34; 8 A Letherby (AUS) 30:35; 9 C Rooney (IRE) 30:43; 10 T Abyu (GBR) 30:51.

Bekele's achievements to date:

• 2006 1st African Championships in Athletics 5.000m
• 2006 1st IAAF Short Race World Cross Country Championships
• 2006 1st IAAF Long Race World Cross Country Championships
• 2006 1st IAAF World Indoor 3.000m
• 2005 1st IAAF Short Race World Cross Country Championships
• 2005 1st IAAF Long Race World Cross Country Championships
• 2005 1st IAAF World Track & Field Championships 10.000m
• 2004 1st IAAF Short Race World Cross Country Championships
• 2004 1st IAAF Long Race World Cross Country Championships
• 2004 1st Olympic Games 10,000m
• 2004 2nd Olympic Games 5.000m
• 2003 1st IAAF World Track & Field Championships 10.000m
• 2003 3rd IAAF World Track & Field Championships 5.000m
• 2003 1st IAAF World Short Race Cross Country Championships
• 2003 1st IAAF World Long Race Cross Country Championships
• 2002 1st IAAF World Short Race Cross Country Championships
• 2002 1st IAAF World Long Race Cross Country Championships
• 2001 1st IAAF World Junior Cross Country Championships

Farah Picked for IAAF XC Championships

Story written by EPelle

Great Britain's Mo Farah, winner of the 2006 European Cross Country title last month, is one of six athletes UK officials have pre-selected for Great Britain at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, Kenya, on 24 March.

Farah, who turns 24 in March, was named for the senior men's team, while Jo Pavey and Hayley Yelling will toe the line in the senior women's race.

European Junior Cross Country Champion Stephanie Twell will lead the junior team, with pre-selections provided to Emily Pidgeon and Sian Edwards, respectively.

News site onrunning.com quotes Farah as stating that his new-found cross country success will not take his focus off of his long-term plan, namely participating in the 2007 IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Osaka.

"I have always said the summer's World Championships remain my top priority and nothing will alter that."

"But I'd also like to compete at the European Indoors because they are on home soil."

Indeed, it seems fit that Farah would likely contest the 3.000m in Birmingham in March in front of home supporters filled with high expectations for the Somali-born Brit, having placed sixth in the 2005 World Indoor Championships in Madrid (7.54,08 PB) - a race which saw Kenenisa Bekele (7.39,32), Saif Saeed Shaheen (7.41,28) and Eliud Kipchoge finish 1-2-3.

Farah found success managing the 7,5-lap distance last summer, setting an outdoor personal best time of 7.38,15 in Zagreb. This past summer marked the first time Farah would ever break 8.00 outdoors.

The greater successes he earned were at the longer distances, however - at 5.000m, a distance at which he won the 2001 European Junior Championships (14.09,91) in Grosseto, Italy over Bruno Saramago of Portugal (14.11,65) and Spain's Noel Cutillas (14.12,43). Farah placed 10th at the 2000 World Junior Championships held in Santiago.

Farah's rise to the top of internationl respectability earned terrific stock when he earned the European 5.000m silver medal (13.44,79) here in Göteborg at the 2006 European Championships, essentially tranferring over his junior potential to the senior scale.

Farah, who has five English Schools titles to his name, showed signs of toughness prior to the championships in setting a 3.000m PB at the British Grand Prix at Gateshead, running 7.45,25 for a seventh-place finish. He followed that up with a tremendous breakthrough, running a personal-best time of 13 minutes 9,40 seconds in the 5.000m at the KBC Night of Athletics meet in Heusden, Belgium - a time which ranks second on the UK All-time list behind David Moorcroft's previous world-record of 13.00,41.

Farah is riding a high wave of new-found success, but first he must tackle on the task of making a great showing at the upcoming world championships in Kenya, for which he has been pre-selected in hopes of helping team Great Britain to fight for a medal. Farah took home the European Cross Country title by making a move in the 25th minute - a gutsy effort which no competitor matched in the race. His gold medal was never in danger as he completed the final two minutes of the race.

Having locked up the top spot, Farah became the first Briton to win an individual European cross country title in over a decade, following in Jon Brown's footsteps. Farah took home the title last month by covering the 9.950m course in 27.56 (2.49/km), holding a very comfortable lead over runner-up Fernando Silva of Portugal. UK fans and officials alike hope that Farah can continue building on the momentum he established in 2006, and make an international cross country break-through.

He placed 40th in the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships short-course race (4k), and 21st in the 2005 European Cross Country Championships, but fared much better against Europeans in 2005 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

Farah has a very enduring stretch of racing ahead of him, with his ultimate goal medaling in Osaka. Following the world cross country championships, Farah will head over to Northern California, where he plans on contesting the Cardianl Invitational 10.000m held at Stanford University before heading into the beginning of the Grand Prix season.

"I'll be going to California and might run at 100000m at Stanford."

Here's hoping Farah enjoys greater success and remains injury-free as he plans his long flight through the ranks to the medal round in Osaka.

Mo Farah's Personal bests:

• 1.500m: 3.38,62 Zürich, 19 Aug 2005
• Mile: 3.56,49 London 6 Aug 2005
• 2.000m: 5.06,34 Melbourne 9 Mar 2006
• 3.000m: 7.38,15 Zagreb 31 Aug 2006
• 5.000m: 13.09,40 Heusden 22 Jul 2006
• 5km: 13.30 Stranolar (Ire) 26 Dec 2006
• 10km: 28.37 NYC 21 May 2006
• 10 Mile: 48.59 16 Oct 2005

NB: Farah placed second today to Sergiy Lebid over 4km at the 2007 Men's Great Edinburgh Cross Country, running 12.21 - one second behind Lebid.

NB: Farah placed sixth in today's (2007-Jan-7) 10,7km Zornotza Internacional race in Spain

Men (10.7Km) 1. Micah Kogo (Ken) 32.03 2. Tariku Bekele (Eth) 32.03 3. Joseph Ebuya (Ken) 32.04 4. Abiyote Guta (Eth) 32.04 5. Moses Masai (Ken) 32.19 6. Mohamed Farah (Gbr) 32.22 7. Juan Barrios (Mex) 32.48 8. Ali Abdallah (Eri) 33.06 9. Cutbert Nyasango (Zim) 33.26 10. Andrew Letherby (Aus) 33.27