TARASOV JOINS EXCLUSIVE 6 METRE CLUB

Report by Nick Davies

Nice, the last Grand Prix Meeting before the IAAF World Championships in Athens, did not serve up any world records but with high humidity and virtually no wind at least the athletes got a taste of the weather they can expect in Greece.

Maxsim Tarasov became only the fifth man in history to clear 6.00 in the pole vault. The tall Russian soared over the bar and then rushed over to the crowd to celebrate. "I’ve been to Nikaia seven times now but this time was really special. The public were just fantastic. This is something I have felt I could do for some time", said Tarasov. By contrast Olympic champion Jean Galfione disappointed again. Despite the best efforts of the Nice crowd, he could only clear 5.70 for sixth place. South Africans Okkert Brits and Riaan Botha finished second and third.

The Men’s 3000m had been billed as a world record attempt by Salah Hissou but another Moroccan, Khalid Boulami, spoiled the script. After a 58 second last lap Boulami took the honours in a close, exciting race which saw five athletes still in contention on the final lap. Less than two seconds separated first place from fifth, with Boulami claiming victory in a personal best of 7:30.99. Hissou may have been disappointed to finish fourth behind two Kenyans Tom Nyariki and Paul Bitok but his time of 7:32.13 shows excellent speed for a 10,000m specialist.

For Hicham El Guerrouj it was another case of "so near, yet so far." The 22 year-old Moroccan was on world record pace at 1,200m with 2:48.53 but, perhaps suffering the effects of recent back-to-back record attempts, he ran the last 300 metres in a weary 42 seconds to finish in 3:30.32. Kenya’s John Kibowen was impressive, sticking close to the Moroccan on the last lap to clock an excellent personal best of 3:30.44. The race was good in depth too, with seven under 3:34 including an American (Holman) a Russian (Shabunin) a Frenchman (Bosch) and a Briton (Mayock.)

Noureddine Morceli is back. The Algerian showed he is starting to regain the form that made him the most feared middle distance runner of the nineties by winning the Mile decisively. Morceli’s 3:48.64 may be over three seconds slower than the time El Guerrouj achieved in Oslo last Friday but it did wonders for the Algerian’s confidence, especially as he went through 1500m in 3:33.17. The showdown between El Guerrouj and Morceli in Athens is now eagerly awaited.

Another great athlete who looks like her old self is Merlene Ottey. Although she has decided to concentrate on 100m this year, Ottey still found the strength to overtake Melinda Gainsford in the last 60 metres of the 200m and record 22.47. "Everything is going well," said Ottey: "This will be my last chance to win a World Championships 100m gold and that is a big motivation," said Ottey.

With all defending World Champions now invited automatically, Kenya are likely to dominate the steeplechase even more dramatically than usual in Athens. Kenyans filled the first five places in Nice, led by Moses Kiptanui, the defending World Champion, with 8:08.23. Kiptanui’s 61 second last lap was an astonishing display of speed and agility over the barriers. The "fourth man" for Kenya in Athens looks likely to be Eliud Barngetuny after he finished ahead of Bernard Barmasai tonight.

In the Women’s 3000m, Fernanda Ribeiro took the lead at halfway with only Kenya’s Sally Barsosio still in contention. Barsosio surged past with three laps to go and had built a five metre lead with 2 laps to go, reached in 6:17. But Ribeiro had moved right up to her shoulder by the bell and, despite a brave effort from Barsosio on the last lap, the Portuguese runner sprinted decisively clear going into the final straight. Ribeiro’s winning time of 8:37.14 was the fastest in the world this year.

With Stefka Kostadinova out of action since Rome, Ukraine’s Inga Babakova is looking like the best bet for gold in Athens, after improving her season’s best to win the high jump with 2.00. Only Kostadinova has jumped higher this year.

World Indoor 60m hurdles champion Anier García overcame a strong field including Igor Kovac, Florian Schwarthoff and Tony Jarrett in the 110m hurdles. The Cuban had a good start and held off strong finishing Jarrett with some ease, to notch his second victory in three days.

Portugal’s Carla Sacramento ran the fastest time in the world in the mile - 4:24.00 - to consign France’s Patricia Djate to the role of also-ran. To the delight of the crowd, Djate was third at 1200m (reached in 3:21.14) but then faded badly as Sacramento sped away to victory.

US Trials winner Melissa Morrison’s blistering start and excellent technique bumped Olympic champion Ludmila Engqvist to her first defeat of the season. "I am never surprised about my performances. I would remain confident even if I was fifth," said Morrison after clocking 12.63, just two hundredths ahead of the fast finishing Engqvist.

South Africa’s Llewelyn Herbert overtook the 1991 World Champion Samuel Matete in the final 50 metres to win the 400m hurdles. Herbert, crowned World Junior Champion in Lisbon, clocked 48.17. The burly hurdler also beat world list-leader Bryan Bronson in Stuttgart on Sunday and is rounding nicely into form for the biggest event of 1997. "I’m going to Athens to run some good races and perhaps get a medal," said Herbert.