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01 May, 2008
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Meselech Melkamu delivered the biggest surprise of the 16th CAA African Athletics Championships so far by defeating Olympic, world, All-African, and defending African 5000m champion Meseret Defar in the final of the women’s 5000m this evening.
The 23-year old, who lost to Defar six weeks ago in the world indoor championships, produced an outstanding sprint finish to take victory in 15:49.31 with Defar (15:50.181) beating Kenyan Grace Momanyi (15:50.188) to the silver medal in windy racing conditions at the Addis Ababa stadium.
The Ethiopian trio of Meseret Defar, Meselech Melkamu, and national champion Belaynesh Fekadu were the favorites to repeat the cleansweep of medals achieved by their male compatriots yesterday in the men's 10000m. But that feat was always going to be difficult given that Kenya had a stronger challenge in their ranks in the shape of their national cross country champion Grace Momanyi and world junior 3000m champion Veronica Nyaruai.
Defar led three of compatriots into an early lead and threatened to do what Gebremariam started yesterday in the men's race. But the Ethiopian trio was quickly closed down by Momanyi and co. who were desperate to hold despite the Ethiopian resurgence.
The three Ethiopians and three Kenyans moved ahead of the rest of the pack with 10 laps of the contest left. Melkamu, Defar, and Fekadu also exchanged the lead in a tumultous contest until Fekadu threatened a serious break with two laps of the race left.
There are a strong element of predictability when Defar moved ahead of the field at the bell. However, she was quickly closed down by Melkamu with 300m left. The duo sprinted side by side and entered the home straight together, but Melkamu edged Defar with 50m left to take a one-second victory. A struggling Defar entered the finish line together with Momanyi and had to endure a few painful minutes before discovering that she had done enough to win silver. Both runners were timed 15:50.19, but Defar took silver by virtue of six-thousandths of a second.
"This was one of the biggest races I have run because I have never beaten Defar before," said an escatic Melkamu. "I thought I was going to be second, but I have trained hard since she beat me in the World indoors and beating Defar in my own country gives me great pride."
"I was ill the whole day and I just competed because I made a promise to my people," said Defar who was holding her stomach in agony at the end of seven-and-half laps of a tightly-fought contest.
Elshadai Negash for Addis2008.org