What was the best event at the Worlds?

[dl]

Not so much in terms of marks, but competition. For me, it's a close call between the men's 10K and steeple.

Watching a fast distance race on TV is one thing, but witnessing in person how fast the Ethiopians were running over the final 5000 was simply amazing.

The men's steeple was just nuts. One of the greatest races I've ever seen. I can't wait to see what Cherono can do off an even pace.

Whether you were in Paris or watched on TV, what was your favorite event from a truly pleasing (IMHO) Worlds?

[6 5.5hjsteve]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

men's 5k

[Per Andersen]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

Yes, it has to be the men's 5K. I did not get to see the 10K thanks to Drummond.
Most exciting field event: Men's P.V.

[gh]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

Hard to top that 5K. Pretty amazing to hear Bob Hersh say over the loudspeaker (hey, how come he got all the good events?! :-) ), "and the pace slows to 60.56 for the second lap." SLOWS?!!! Then four more laps in the 61s and 62s before they dropped off to some 64s. Never thought I'd think of a 64/65 pace as walking in a 5K, but after the start that's what it looked like.

Then Bekele hit two-to-go in about 11:00-flat and all hell broke loose as he unleashed a 59.7. Enough to kill anybody in the world at that point, right? Not. He gets passed, and even though he tosses in a 53.6 to finish he only ends up 3rd?! Yow.

[MJR]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

Men's 20km RW

Having Perez sit on the World Record Holder then dusting him in the last 4km and break the Record by a second was amazing. He truly broke him in every sense of the word. Kevin Eastler getting an A standard and doing the best US time since 1989 was a bonus.

[bhall]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

Men's 10k was impressive but not the most exciting. I'd have to go with the steeple. It was incredibly odd but super fun to watch. Kemboi's chase of Cherono was insane.

On the women's side I'd probably go with the women's hept 200.

[trackstar]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

Another vote for the men's 5K; but let me also again advocate for Gibilisco in the pole vault: Facing elimination with two misses at 5.75, he decides to pass up to 5.80 (only two centimeters away from his PR) – and nails it, and then follows with first-try makes at 5.85 and 5.90. T&FN had him pegged for only ninth coming in, and leaves with a world championship, a big PR, and new Italian record.

[MJD]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

For the Canucks-Perdita but Babcock was a close
second in the 5km. Someone on the Can list analyzed her scalps:

"Women who weren't in the final:

Irina Mikitenko: beaten by Babcock in her heat.

Olga You-know-who: also knocked out in the heats. What, oh what, could be wrong with the beloved Yegorova?

Paula Radcliffe: if you don't win, you lose. QED.

Women who were in the final. This is a dazzling list of stars:

Yingjie Sun - bronze in the 10,000

Berhane Adere - gold in the 10,000

Gabriella Szabo - aka "The Energizer Bunny". Too many WC and OG gold medals to mention...

Emilie Mondor - you're darn right she's a star! The "Roger Bannister" of the Canadian women's 5000.

Zahra Ouaziz - no this isn't the "Zora" who "won" Joe Millionaire; its the Zahra who won silver in Seville, packing a PB of
14:32.08.

Zohr El Kamch - OK I hadn't heard of her but she did run 14:42 this year.

Sonia O'Sullivan - Arguably the most prolific female distance runner of the past decade. 5000 gold medallist in Goteborg, to
name one of a great many accomplishments."

[JRinaldi]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

Who is Cherono?

Men's 1500 because you just didn't know (for once) what was going to happen. It's always great tp see a champ win in a way the others said was not possible.

Men's 10K; 12:57 last half, need I say more.

Men's 5K; Speed vs endurance vs a kid!

Women's 10K; depth, depth, depth...oh and fast

Women's 800m; I love it when a plan comes together

Men's Steeple; 2:36 first 1000m, that 7:48 pace...nice

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

Definitely the Steeple -- what a wild race!

[trackstar]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

I just stumbled across some 800-obsessed Dutchman's page (http://personal.computrain.nl/eric/m800/index.html), which reminded me that the men's 800 was mighty exciting. Who would have expected Borzy to be CAUGHT FROM BEHIND?

[trackstar]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

Hmm, try http://personal.computrain.nl/eric/m800/index.html

[Bob H]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

Tough question because there were so many great ones. But I think I have to agree with Ben and Al and pick the steeple. I know the 5000 was fantastic, but I remember leaving the stadium the night of the steeple and saying "that was the best race I've ever seen." Hyperbole? Maybe. I don't keep a list of the best races I've ever seen, but that steeple just took my breath away.

Also on the Paris list would be the four relays. As a group they were unusually good races. And of course the women's LJ. It's always exciting when the home team wins a gold at a WC or OG, but winning like that made it even better.

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

Why doesn't anyone mention the 800? It's almost always an exciting event anyway, but Bozo Borzakovskiy made it a hoot. He isn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. He didn't have enough sense to hold off a bit before the final straight, and his tying up, coupled with his big move on the back stretch and the others refusing to let him go made for a heck of an enjoyable race.

The 5k was awesome, of course.

The 1500 was great, because there was the sense that El G could be taken in front of a crowd shreiking for its hometown boys.

The men's 100 was super, because I had no friggin' idea what would happen!

[Powell]

Re: What was the best event at the Worlds?

It must be the traditional T&FN sexism... I can't find another explanation for why noone has mentioned the women's 10000 race yet :-O