Four world-leading performances in the middle & long distances were set at the Qatar Super Grand Prix in Doha tonight, the first stop on the IAAF Super Grand Prix circuit.
Richard Mateelong, the bronze medallist at last year’s world championships, led a 1-2-3 sweep Kenyan sweep with his 8:07.64 victory in the 3000m steeplechase, an impressive early season run in the heat of Doha. Collins Kosgei (8:13.87) and Mike Kipyego (8:15.74) were well back in second and third.
In one of the closest races of the night, Abdelati Iguider of Morocco won the 1500m in 3:33.27, barely edging compatriot Mohamed Moustaoui (3:33.31) and Antar Zerguelaine of Algeria (3:33.32). Iguider, a two-time medallist at the world junior championships and the winner in 2004, has a career best of 3:32.68 from two years ago.
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Reigning Olympic gold medalist Jeremy Wariner and triple World Outdoor champion Allyson Felix headline the American contingent for the 2008 Qatar Super Grand Prix Friday, May 9, in Doha, Qatar.
A two-time World Outdoor 400 meter champion, Wariner will step down in distance, looking to improve on his personal best of 20.19 in the 200m. He will face stiff competition from 2007 World Outdoor 400m silver medalist LaShawn Merritt, who has already run a windy 19.80 (+3.2 mps) so far this year.
Felix, a two-time World Outdoor champion over 200m, will officially open her outdoor season at Doha and will try to repeat her 100-400 win from 2007. This is the fourth year in a row that she has opened up her season at the Qatar Super Grand Prix.
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Record breaking Olympians Sir Steve Redgrave and Michael Johnson took time out from the 2008 Commercialbank Qatar Masters, Presented by Dolphin Energy, to visit the ASPIRE Academy for Excellence – and were immediately impressed with the ultra-modern facilities.
The two sportsmen – who between them amassed ten Olympic gold medals – were taken on a guided tour of the facilities by Prof. Dr. Dieter Hackfort, Dean ASPIRE & Director QESA Department who briefed them on the aims and function of ASPIRE before explaining the workings of the sport psychology aspect of the Academy in which they were especially interested.
Redgrave, who won five consecutive rowing golds, and US sprinter Johnson – winner of gold at 200m, 400m and 4×400m relay – toured the complex as part of their visit to Doha as guests of Commercialbank.
And the American admitted it was an eye-opening experience. “We don’t have anything like this in the US as most young people play sport anyway and there is an automatic natural process of selection,” he said.
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Injury will force Saif Saaeed Shaheen, the two-time defending world champion in the 3000m steeplechase, from retaining his title at next month’s IAAF World Championships in Osaka.
Shaheen, 24, sustained a knee injury just prior to the Prefontaine Classic early last month, forcing him out of races in Ostrava, Czech Republic, and Athens in June. In a statement today, the Kenyan-born world record holder in the event confirmed he’s lost too much training time to compete in Osaka, where he had also planned to contest the 5000 meters.
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