DOHA –
The
men’s 1500 metres was what used to be known in
club athletics as a ‘mob-run,’ you ambled around
a cross country course, and had a sprint at the
end… or not. This was a mob of Kenyans, and it
was a sprint all the way at the Qatar Super
Grand Prix 2007. Augustine Choge has left his mark on this meeting every time he has run. He set a World junior record in the 3000m here two years ago, split Issac Songok and Eliud Kipchoge in the 3000 metres last year.
This year, he won the three and three-quarter lap sprint known as the 1500 metres. His 3:31.73 was also a World leader, with colleague, Suleiman Simotwo second in 3:31.98, and Yussuf Baba of Morocco having the temerity to beat another half dozen Kenyans for third, in 3:32.13. Eleven men broke 3.40.
Kipchoge, the surprise 5000 metres winner at the IAAF World Championships in Paris 2003 was edged out of a third successive victory in the 3000 metres here last year by Songok. But Kipchoge made no mistake this year. He took over with three laps to go, and was never headed, although Songok did draw level, to take a look at him at one point.
Such was Kipchoge’s confidence that he high-fived pacemaker Charles Bett when the latter dropped out. Kipchoge simply stretched away from his pursuers in the last 200 metres, and Songok couldn’t hang in, eventually finishing fourth.
Kipchoge won in 7:33.06, another world lead, Jonas Cheruyiot was second in 7:34.37, and Joseph Ebuya third in 7:34.66.
IAAF
