by Larry Eder
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Leonel Manzano leads U.S. champs 1,500 meters, June 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Yesterday, at the US press conference, I had a few minutes with CEO Doug Logan. In his red Elton John glasses, smiled and said, ” I was not sure how we would fare earlier this year, but we have an amazing team.”
When was the last time that four U.S. men moving into the semi finals in the 1,500 meters? MMMMM. Never.
First, Leonel Manzano ran a smart run behind Mehdi Baala of France, who won heat one in 3:42.77. Christian Obrist had lead through 400 meters in 62.01, 800 meters in 2:06.78 and Goran Nava of Serbia took over at 1,200 meters in 3:03.98. Mehdi Baala just took over and made the race his.
In heat two, Aussie Ryan Gregson hit the 400 meters in 59.80, with Carsten Schlagen of Germany, to the crowd’s delight, taking the lead for 800 meters, in 2:03.81 and Peter van de Westhuizen of South Africa leading at 1200 meters in 3:00.93. But this was Asbel Kiprop’s race, and Kiprop watched as Bernard Lagat of the US came in right behind Kiprops’ 3:41.42.
In heat three, Antoine Berlin hit the 400 meter sin 63.4, and Augustine Chogo took the lead at 800 meters in 2:08.05 and Jeremy Roff of Australia hit 1,200 meters in 3:05.64. Augustine Choge, Amine Laalou of Morocco and Lopez Lomong went 1,2,3. Lomong had an interesting last lap. With 250 to go, Lopez was having some issues, then he got shoved, like hockey game, St. Louis Blues vs. Philly Flyers shove, and it woke him up. Mr. Lomong just cranked that last 150 meters and moved on! Thanks Lopez!
In heat four, Tiddrek Nurme of Estonia hit the 400 meters in 58.69. Nurme continued to push as Deresse Mekonnen took the lead, hitting the 1,200 meters in 2:56.61, and
Deresse Mekonnen, the 2006 World Indoor Champion, won this one in 3:37.04. Haron Keitany of Kenya was second in 3:37.13, and James Brewer of UK, ran his PB of 3:37.17 for third! Note that Reyes Estavez, who has been in every major 1,500 meter champs since 1991, was sixth in 3:38.23, a seasonal best. In eighth place, Dorian Ulrey became the fourth American to move on in the 1,500 meters, with his 3:38.86 to take eighth in the fastest heat of the 1,500 meters.
Nice job guys!
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12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics
Berlin (GER) – Saturday, Aug 15, 2009
1500 Metres – M Heats
Qual. rule: first 5 of each heat (Q) plus the 4 fastest times (q) qualified.
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Heat 1
15 August 2009 – 18:15
Position Bib Athlete Country Mark .
1 436 Mehdi Baala FRA 3:42.77 Q .
2 1203 Leonel Manzano USA 3:42.87 Q .
3 808 Abdalaati Iguider MAR 3:42.88 Q .
4 144 Jeffrey Riseley AUS 3:43.03 Q .
5 232 Belal Mansoor Ali BRN 3:43.06 Q .
6 356 Arturo Casado ESP 3:43.21 .
7 408 Mekonnen Gebremedhin ETH 3:43.22 .
8 647 Christian Obrist ITA 3:43.41 .
9 349 Hais Welday ERI 3:43.84 .
10 1046 Goran Nava SRB 3:44.13 .
11 769 Mohammed Shaween KSA 3:49.03 .
12 816 Chauncy Master MAW 3:50.73 .
13 841 Abdallahi Nanou MTN 4:09.77 (PB)
. 1106 Boampouguini Djigban TOG DNF .
Intermediate Bib Athlete Nation Mark
400m 647 Christian Obrist ITA 1:02.01
800m 647 Christian Obrist ITA 2:06.78
1200m 1046 Goran Nava SRB 3:03.98
Heat 2
15 August 2009 – 18:22
Position Bib Athlete Country Mark .
1 727 Asbel Kipruto Kiprop KEN 3:41.42 Q .
2 1196 Bernard Lagat USA 3:41.60 Q .
3 366 Juan Carlos Higuero ESP 3:41.77 Q .
4 940 Rui Silva POR 3:41.98 Q .
5 983 Peter van der Westhuizen RSA 3:42.33 Q .
6 109 Anter Zerguelaine ALG 3:42.37 .
7 615 Thomas Chamney IRL 3:42.54 .
8 511 Thomas Lancashire GBR 3:42.68 .
9 566 Carsten Schlangen GER 3:44.00 .
10 136 Ryan Gregson AUS 3:44.79 .
11 1051 Abdalla Abdelgadir SUD 3:47.78 .
12 334 Bayron Piedra ECU 3:49.60 .
13 246 Bunting Hem CAM 4:08.64 (SB)
14 523 BenjamÃn Enzema GEQ 4:13.17 (PB)
Intermediate Bib Athlete Nation Mark
400m 136 Ryan Gregson AUS 59.80
800m 566 Carsten Schlangen GER 2:03.81
1200m 983 Peter van der Westhuizen RSA 3:00.93
Heat 3
15 August 2009 – 18:29
Position Bib Athlete Country Mark .
1 721 Augustine Kiprono Choge KEN 3:44.73 Q .
2 810 Amine Laalou MAR 3:44.75 Q .
3 1198 Lopez Lomong USA 3:44.89 Q .
4 489 Andrew Baddeley GBR 3:45.23 Q .
5 412 Henok Legesse ETH 3:45.63 Q .
6 104 Tarek Boukensa ALG 3:45.65 .
7 187 Kristof van Malderen BEL 3:46.03 .
8 467 Yoann Kowal FRA 3:46.42 .
9 960 Johan Cronje RSA 3:46.45 .
10 145 Jeremy Roff AUS 3:47.08 .
11 951 Mohamad Al-Garni QAT 3:50.55 .
12 845 Ãlvaro Vásquez NCA 3:55.06 (PB)
13 837 Antoine Berlin MON 4:27.52 .
Intermediate Bib Athlete Nation Mark
400m 837 Antoine Berlin MON 1:03.40
800m 721 Augustine Kiprono Choge KEN 2:08.05
1200m 145 Jeremy Roff AUS 3:05.64
Heat 4
15 August 2009 – 18:36
Position Bib Athlete Country Mark .
1 413 Deresse Mekonnen ETH 3:37.04 Q .
2 723 Haron Keitany KEN 3:37.13 Q .
3 491 James Brewer GBR 3:37.17 Q (PB)
4 811 Mohamed Moustaoui MAR 3:37.34 Q .
5 233 Yusuf Saad Kamel BRN 3:37.59 Q .
6 362 Reyes Estévez ESP 3:38.23 q (SB)
7 249 Nathan Brannen CAN 3:38.35 q .
8 1239 Dorian Ulrey USA 3:38.86 q .
9 106 Taoufik Makhloufi ALG 3:40.04 q .
10 531 Stefan Eberhardt GER 3:40.05 .
11 483 Mounir Yemmouni FRA 3:42.06 .
12 395 Tiidrek Nurme EST 3:43.73 (SB)
13 110 VÃctor MartÃnez AND 4:02.10 (SB)
Intermediate Bib Athlete Nation Mark
400m 395 Tiidrek Nurme EST 58.69
800m 395 Tiidrek Nurme EST 1:58.60
1200m 413 Deresse Mekonnen ETH 2:56.61
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