ZURICH (Reuters, Track Profile) – Ethiopia’s double Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele improved on his gold medal performance in the 5,000 metres — setting a year’s best time of 12:50.18 — at the Weltklasse Golden League meeting in Zürich, Switzerland Friday night.
Competing just a week after completing an historic 5000/10,000m double in Beijing, Kenenisa Bekele didn’t let his tired legs keep him from dominating yet another 5000m contest. Running at the front for more than three kilometers, the unparalleled Ethiopian crushed the opposition — many of whom did not compete in Beijing — in the fastest in the world this year. Ugandan Moses Kipsiro was closest, dipping under 13 minutes in 12:59.48 to finish second.
Triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt confirmed his domination of the sprints with a comfortable 100 metres victory at the Weltklasse Golden League meeting.
The 22-year-old Jamaican, who set world records in winning the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4×100 metres relay in Beijing, finished Friday’s race in 9.83 seconds, 0.16 seconds clear of America’s double Olympic bronze medallist Walter Dix.
After taking silver behind Bolt at the Olympics, Trinidad & Tobago’s Richard Thompson had to settle for third place in Zurich, a further 10th of a second behind Dix.
“It was good, but my start was not too good,” said Bolt. “I concentrated on winning and as I’m starting to get a cold I was not able to think about any faster time.”
Fellow Olympic champion and world record holder Dayron Robles was also able to back up his stunning 110 metres hurdles performance in Beijing.
The 21-year-old Cuban ran neck and neck with Olympic bronze medal winner David Oliver before ducking his head at the line to finish in 12.97 seconds, 0.01 seconds ahead of the American.
JACKPOT CONTENDERS
Kenyan teenager Pamela Jelimo continued her fantastic season, following up her Olympic gold medal in the 800 metres by setting the year’s best time of one minute 54.01 seconds.
Jelimo, 18, kept well on track for a share of the Golden League’s $1 million jackpot awarded to athletes who win their event at all six of the season’s meetings.
“There’s still one race to go for the jackpot and the world record is closer now, too, though I’m not sure I can do it this year,” she said.
With only next Friday’s Golden League meeting in Brussels remaining, Jelimo faces competition for the main prize only from Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlasic.
After being denied the gold medal in Beijing by surprise Olympic champion Tia Hellebaut of Belgium, Vlasic struck back impressively in Zurich.
Overcoming some nervy moments to clear 1.98 metres at her third attempt, the world champion then kept her jackpot hopes alive with the only successful clearance at 2.01.
WARINER WIN
America’s Jeremy Wariner and LoLo Jones were among the other athletes fighting back from Olympic disappointment on Friday.
Wariner set his best time of the year to win the 400 metres in 43.82 seconds, 0.61 seconds ahead of compatriot and Olympic gold medallist LaShawn Merritt.
Jones, seventh in the Beijing 100 hurdles after hitting the ninth hurdle while leading, cruised to victory in 12.56 seconds.
Olympic javelin champion Andreas Thorkildsen further enhanced his reputation with a throw of 90.28 metres – only the second throw past 90 metres this year following the Norwegian’s own 90.57 in Beijing.
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