Report 2 - Day 3

March 9 - 16:00

Nick Davies reports from Paris

In one of the most fabulous displays of middle distance running in history, Wilson Kipketer broke his own world record to become the first man to go under 1:43.00 indoors. The Kenyan born runner, now representing his adopted home Denmark, clocked 1:42.67. Two days ago Kipketer caused a sensation by breaking the existing mark of 1:44.84 in a qualifying heat. But the way he improved the record again was incredible to behold. Taking the lead from Marko Koers after about 100 metres, Kipketer’s only real competition was the clock. With his long legs flying Kipketer, relaxed and concentrated, flew through 200m in 24.22 and the quarter mile point in 50.22. 10 metres clear, he then increased the gap steadily to reach the bell in 1:16.49. Kipketer’s last lap sprint took just 26.19 as the screaming capacity crowd confirmed his fantastic achievement.

Jamie Baulch, so dominant in qualifying, lost out to Nigeria’s Sunday Bada in a stirring men’s 400m final. Baulch, on instructions from his coach Linford Christie to go out hard so as to make sure he was not boxed in, was leading at the half way point reached in a speedy 21.30. But although Bada was trailing at this stage, he remained in contention as Baulch, who did not relax his effort at all, began to pay the inevitable price. As the Welshman began to falter in the final straight, Bada, who had stayed more relaxed, began to close the gap. With just twenty metres to go Bada eased past but Baulch fought hard to the line. The tall Nigerian’s reward, apart from $50,000, was a new African record of 45.51. Baulch hung on for silver in 45.62 as Japan’s Shunji Karube came through strongly at the finish for a new Asian record of 45.76.

The women’s 400m final proved that patience is a virtue. Jearl Miles-Clark, who ignored the early blistering pace set by Germany’s Grit Breuer, who went through the first 200m in 23.70, snatched gold in the last 50 metres from Jamaica’s Sandie Richards. Miles-Clark, who won the 400m at the 1993 World Championships outdoors, battled hard to stay with Richards around the last bend before accelerating smoothly to victory in 50.96, the fastest in the world this year.

Maria Mutola, wearing a black ribbon to mourn the father she recently lost, won her third consecutive World Indoor title in a fast and competitive race. Her winning time was 1:58.96 with N Dukhnova setting a new Belarus record of 1:59.31 in second place. Four athletes battled it out for the minor medals, with Joetta Clark setting a personal best of 1:59.82 to claim the bronze.

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Reports from the championships.