By AA Correspondent
Three-time world champion Joshua Cheptegei added the Olympic title in the men’s 10,000m in an Olympic record on the first day of athletics action at the Stade de France, St. Denis, on Friday (Aug 2).
In a tactical battle between Cheptegei and three Ethiopians, Berihu Aregawi, Yomif Kejelcha and defending champion Salemon Barega, the 27-year-old Ugandan triumphed in 26:43.14, bettering the championship record of 27:01.17 set by Ethiopian distance great Kenenisa Bekele in 2016.
For Asia, barring the entry of woman discus thrower Feng Bin of China and woman high jumper Safina Sedullayeva of Uzbekistan, into the final, there was nothing much to celebrate this day.
The day also witnessed a world record in the mixed 4x400m relay heats as the US combination of Verner Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon and Kylyn Brown clocked 3:07.41 while easily winning their heat. The Americans had set the two previous world records at the Doha (3:09.34) and Budapest (3:08.80) World championships. There is anticipation of another world record by the Americans in the final.
Early pace
The early injection of Ethiopian pace was such that not many in the men’s 10,00m field of 25 runners could keep up with the chase. But American Grant Fisher managed to keep himself close and so did Canadian Mohammed Ahmed and Kenyan Bernard Kibet. But Cheptegei, lying well behind to begin with, and stepping up to around seventh or eighth, with more than 2000m to go, was always the man to beat.
It was changing pace and lead much of the time ahead of the pack as the Ethiopians took turns to lead in an effort to shake of Cheptegei. But the Ugandan would not lose sight of the Ethiopians. He seemed to have judged the race to such a nicety that he could hang on behind and still dictate the pace towards the end.
Cheptegei edged ahead with 500 metres to the finish and it was Aregawi and American Fisher, who was to eventually finish third, who continued in hot pursuit of the Ugandan world-record holder. Canadian Ahmed hung on gamely and even threatened to keep the others from the second place on the home straight, but it was not to be.
“I can’t describe the feeling,” said the Ugandan, who set a world record for the event (26:11.00) in Valencia in 2020. “I’ve wanted this for a long time. When I took silver in Tokyo, I was disappointed. I wanted just to win the 10,000m,” said Cheptegei.
Aregawi made a late charge to snatch the silver from Fisher by two-hundredth of a second but there could be no denying Cheptegei, who fulfilled his dream of being an Olympic champion one day as he watched Bekele win in 2008, he was to say later.
Aregawi’s silver came in 26:43.44 while Fisher timed 26:43.46. Ahmed, in his fourth Olympics, finished fourth in 26:43.79 while Kenyan Kibet had a PB of 26:43.98 at fifth. Tokyo Games champion Barega followed team-mate Kejelcha at seventh in 26:44.48. The top 13 cracked 27 minutes for the 25-lap event.
For Asia, there was disappointment in that Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew (27:30.94) could manage only the 17th place while Japanese Jun Kasai (27:53.18) was 20th. Tomoki Ota, also of Japan, came in 24th and last among the finishers in 29:12.48. The Japanese often find it hard to perform at their peak in hot and humid conditions.
Tajinder Toor finishes last
It was not a day the Asians could look back satisfied after a rousing start on day one through Chinese walker Yang Jiayu. Apart from the Japanese in the 10,000m, Indian shot putter Tajinder Pal Singh Toor (18.05m) finished last among those who registered a mark in the qualification round. He was not hundred per cent fit when he competed in the Nationals back home in May. But for someone who has a PB of 21.77m, qualification was not seen as an insurmountable peak to climb. The Indian, Asian Games champion, fouled his last two attempts in a preliminary that saw Italian Leonardo Fabbri topping the overall lists with 21.76m. Favourite and world record holder Ryan Crouser of the US did 21.49m as against the automatic qualification mark of 21.35m.
Elsewhere, Chinese hammer thrower Wan Qi ended up 19th overall in 72.52m while Chinese woman triple jumper Zheng Rui (13.69m) was 24th in two groups put together to add to her country’s disappointments.
In women’s 5000m heats, India’s Parul Choudhary had a season best at the 14th place in her heat in 15:10.68. Another Indian Ankita Dhiyani finished last in the other heat, a stacked one of champions, with 16:19.38. The heat was won by Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, world record holder and two-time Olympic champion in the 1500m, in 14:57.56. Behind her was Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, the double Olympic champion three years ago in Tokyo, in 14:57.65. Hassan is attempting 5000m, 10,000m and the marathon in Paris.
Tanaka misses qualification
Japanese Nozomi Tanaka, eighth at last year’s World championships, missed qualification to the final by just one slot, clocking 15:00.62, finishing ninth in her heat. The top eight in both heats made the cut. Team-mate Yuma Yamamoto, who seemed to have sacrificed herself by running alone in front at the beginning, timed 15:43.67 for 17th place. A third Japanese, Wahama Kabasawa (15:50.86) was 19th in heat 2.
It was left to Feng Bin to cheer up the Chinese and the rest of the Asians on this opening day track and field action as she, world champion discus thrower in 2022, threw to 65.40m in her opening attempt in the qualification round.
Heading the list of discus qualifiers into the final was favourite and defending champion Valerie Allman of the US, with 69.59m followed by Sandra Elkasevic of Croatia, a two-time Olympic champion with 65.63m. Jing Zhichao of China could manage only 59.10m to go out of the race for final.
Sedullayeva had a season best 1.95m in the high jump qualification to place No. 3 in her group. Five others including world record holder and favourite Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine also made it with 1.95m.
In other Asian results, Nelly Jepkosgei of Bahrain was fifth in her 800m heat in 2:00.63, Sharifa Davronova of Uzbekistan with 13.74m was 23rd overall in women’s triple jump, where Mariko Morimoto of Japan with 13.40m was 28th.
In women’s high jump, Kazakhstan’s Yelizaveta Matveyena was 19th (1.88m) while team-mate Nadezhda Dubovitskaya (1.83m) was 28th.
