Golden return for heroes
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ByEurosport
Published 25/08/2006 at 20:18 GMT
European champions Kim Gevaert (200m) and Tia Hellebaut (High Jump) were victorious on their return to Belgium in the Brussels Golden League. Jeremy Wariner (USA) , Asafa Powell (JAM), Sanya Richards (USA) and Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) all remain on course fo
ATHLETICS 2006 European Champs Kim Gevaert
Image credit: Imago
Gevaert chose to focus on the 200m, which had a noticeably weaker field, perhaps to increase the chance of a winning return. She won it by a distance from Debbie Ferguson of Bahamas in a time of 22.68.
Ferguson was hindered somewhat by her earlier appearance in the 100, in which she came fourth. Sherone Simpson of Jamaica won that race in 10.95.
Hellebaut fought a three-way battle with Kasja Bergqvist – who she defeated in front of her Swedish home crowd in the European Championships – and Venelina Veneva of Bulgaria. All three jumped 1.98, but the Belgian triumphed on past failures.
SPRINT KING
Sprint king Powell overcame a poor start to remain on course for a share of the Golden League jackpot with victory in the 100m.
The Jamaican world record holder was practically left in the blocks at the start but powered home with a late surge in 9.99 seconds.
American Marcus Brunson was second in 10.06 and his compatriot Leonard Scott third in 10.11.
Powell appeared upset as he crossed the line and complained that he had not had enough time to settle in his blocks.
"I wasn't even ready in the blocks. I was kind of fixing myself and then I heard a bang," Powell said.
"I could have broken a record today," added the 23-year-old who equalled his world mark of 9.77 in the Zurich GL last week.
JACKPOT HUNT
The other athletes in the hunt for a slice of the big money didn't disappoint. Dibaba again saw off compatriot and world record holder Meseret Defar to remain unbeaten in the 5000m in the series.
World champion Dibaba pulled away from her rival in the final 200 metres and cruised to victory in 14:30.63. Defar was almost three seconds behind her with Britain's Jo Pavey finishing in third.
Pavey's time of 14:39.96 seconds was the best time by a European this season.
Wariner barely seemed to break a sweat during the men's one-lap as he made it five GL wins in a relatively slow – for him – time of 44.29. Likewise Richards in the women's event, who finished in 50.02.
BEST OF THE REST
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) gave his army of travelling fans something to celebrate as he set a world leading time of 12:48.09 in the 5000.
Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar didn't manage to break the 3000m steeplechase WR he set in the event in 2004, so members of the crowd were not treated to the free beer promised them if he managed it. The athlete won by over four seconds from Richard Matelong of Kenya in 8:04.32.
Tyson Gay, Xavier Carter and Wallace Spearmon completed a USA 1-2-3 in the 200m.
Kenya's Micah Kogo smashed his personal best by 40 seconds to win the men's 10 000m in a world leading time of 26:35.63.
American Michelle Perry took the 100m hurdles in 12.55 seconds, while Hasna Benhassi won the women's 800.
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