Upset athletics win

Press, 22 June 1989, Page 42

Upset athletics win

NZPA-Reuter Seville, Spain The world champion, Said Aouita, slumped to his first 5000 m defeat in 10 years day when he finished 40m adrift of the little-known Kenyan, Yobes Ondieki, at an international athletics meeting here. The Moroccan master of middle-distance was left with too much to do after Ondieki had taken off just three laps into the race and opened up a colossal lead. The Kenyan, aged 28, poured on the pace to win in 13 minutes 12.12 seconds and inflict the world record holder’s' first defeat over the distance since 1979. Aouita, the 1984 Olympic champion and an 800 m bronze medallist at last year’s Seoul Games, had to be content with second place, 40m and 11 seconds adrift in 13:23.96.

It was a major shock on an evening of sparkling earlyseason action when Abdi Bile, of Somalia, thumped over the Kenyan Olympic gold medallist, Peter Rono, in a pulsating 1500 m showdown. But there were no setbacks for Rono’s compatriot, Paul Ereng, the Olympic champion over 800 m, who strolled to a convincing victory in 1:44.01 — easily the fastest time in the world this year. Ondieki triumphed over a star-studded field. His compatriot John Ngugi, the reigning Olympic and world crosscountry champion, dropped out of the race after six laps as Ondieki applied relentless pressure. With two laps to go, Ondieki was half a lap clear and Aouita, the only man in history to have bettered the 13minute barrier, was reduced to sprinting for second place.

Kenya’s world 10,000 m champion, Paul Kipkoech also struggled and finished eighth. Bile won the 1500 m battle with a soul-destroying surge off the final bend to triumph in 3:36.61. Rono had taken up the pace just after halfway in an effort to split the pack, but he was unable to shake off Ireland’s Marcus O’Sullivan, or the lurking Somalian. Rono’s legs let him down in the dying metres as the pack swept past in a bunch. Ereng looked invincible as he touched the accelerator entering the final bend and roared away to leave the mile world record holder, Steve Cram, of Britain, looking hopelessly outclassed. Cram, 28, and 1500 metres world champion six years ago, finished fourth.