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Lead Stories: Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Defar Tops the Bill in Stuttgart on Saturday

Posted February 1st, 2008 at 5:45 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

One year ago, Meseret Defar came to Stuttgart’s Schleyer-Halle to make amends for a seasonal debut which didn’t quite reach her own expectations. Unexpectedly pushed to the finish, she left Stuttgart as the world record holder in the 3000m after a stunning 8:23.72 performance.

On Saturday night the two-time world indoor champion over the distance returns for the Sparkassen Cup’s 22nd edition, this time on the heels of a new world best over two miles. While Defar hasn’t publicly promised a further revision of her standard, her 9:10.50 two mile performance in Boston last weekend indicates a challenge is a distinct possibility.
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Defar Delivers on 2 Mile World Best

Posted September 14th, 2007 at 7:43 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Meseret Defar after her race in Brussels In a stunning display of powerful solo running, Meseret Defar crushed her own world best in the 2 miles to highlight the 31st edition of the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels tonight.

Defar, the reigning world and Olympic champion in the 5000m, broke from Kenyan Priscah Jepleting with three laps to go to cross the line in 8:58.58, nearly 12 second under the previous best she ran at the adidas Track Classic in Carson, Calif., in May.

“My plan was for 8:55,” said Defar, not in the least bit surprised by her fleet footedness before a wildly enthusiastic crowd of 47,500 at the Belgian capital’s King Baudouin Stadium.

Underscoring her impressive performance, the 23-year-old clocked 8:24.81 for 3000m en route to her win, an Ethiopian national record and the fastest performance over the distance this year.
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Plodding Pace Helps Defar to 5000m Gold

Posted September 1st, 2007 at 1:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

Meseret Defar, the reigning Olympic gold medalist and world record holder at 5000m, claimed her first outdoor world title on the pentultimate day of the 11th IAAF World Championships at Nagai Stadium.

Helped by a plodding pace set by fan favorite Kayoko Fukushi, who was doubling back from the 10,000m, Defar did little but wait for 11 of the 12 and one-half laps. In the early going, she simply trailed a step behind Fukushi who was turning gentle 74 and 75 second laps. It wasn’t until the 11th lap that Vivian Cheruiyot tried to jump start the race with a sub-72 circuit. At the bell, Defar applied the pressure, but held her big sprint for the end.

“In the last 400 meters I increased the length of my stride,” said Defar after the race as if teaching a class. “And in the last 200 meters I used my sprint to win.”

Elementary, my dear Watson! Her 58.6 second final lap gave her a more than adequate cushion at the finish, grabbing the gold medal in 14:57.91, Ethiopia’s third of these championships.
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