GEBRSELASSIE BREAKS 10,000m WORLD RECORD IN OSLO

Nick Davies reports

After the rains, the harvest. Haile Gebrselassie breathed life into a soggy athletics season by running 26:31.32 to break the first track world record of 1997 at the Mobil Bislett Games in Oslo. On a glorious summer evening, Gebrselassie ran the second half of the race alone but was so comfortable that he could smile and wave to the roaring crowd - 100 metres before the finish - before crossing the line in 26:31.32

"I got a great help from this crowd. I am very satisfied," was the Ethiopian’s instant verdict before joining his flag waving countrymen for a victory lap. Gebrselassie went through the 5000m point in 13:16.74 - which was almost 9 seconds inside the pace set by Salah Hissoh in his own world record run last year in Brussels. Meeting Director Svein Arne Hansen confirmed that Gebrselassie would be paid a $50,000 bonus for breaking the world record. "We have been planning this race since October last year," said Hansen: " Sprinters have been dominating international track and field. At Bislett we have a tradition in middle and long distance running, so we wanted to prove that the crowds love longer distances." Gebrselassie himself estimated that the capacity crowd contributed 50% to his performance. "I knew already on Wednesday that I could break the record here," said Gebrselassie. "But it needed all the circumstances to be right. I planned all my kilometre splits and was able to match them comfortably. The pacemakers were supposed to stay until 6000m but they could not keep up. But for me it didn’t matter, the crowd took over and it felt like a perfect run. This season I will only run for records." The Ethiopian admitted that he had still not decided whether he would run at the World Championships. "The conditions there are going to be very difficult for distance runners. I will now go home to Ethiopia and reflect. It’s a shame that the weather in Athens won’t be like it is in Norway …"

The "Dream Mile," the last event of the night, lived up to its glorious history as Hicham El Guerrouj ran 3:44.90, the second fastest time ever recorded. The young Moroccan, alone with 500 metres left to run, flashed past the 1200m point in 2:48.13 and 1500m in 3:29.72. Yet, at the finish, Morceli’s world record of 3:44.39 remained tantalisingly out of grasp. It seems unlikely that the Algerian’s world title at 1500m will also survive El Guerrouj’s assault in Athens.

Daniel Komen’s own record aspirations were wrecked by over ambitious early pace. With 2 laps to go the Kenyan was clocked at 5:28, over 60 metres ahead of Bob Kennedy and the pursuing pack but began to slow and reached the bell in 6:30. As a tremendous race raged for the minor places over the last 250 metres between Manuel Pancorbo, Bob Kennedy and Dieter Baumann, Komen held on to his lead to finish in 7:30.49. Baumann and Pancorbo both set national records.

The young Romanian Gabriela Szabo beat Geta Wami in the 5000m with 14:42.43, the fastest time in the world in 1997 and a personal best for the blonde with the staccato stride.

After lucrative outings over 150 metres it was about time that Donovan Bailey turned his hand to the classic 200m event. Like most athletics fans, the Canadian world record holder was curious to know what he could knock off his 1994 best of 20.64. As the gun went it was local hero Geir Moen who flew into an early lead while Bailey had a dreadful start and gingerly negotiated the tight bend of the historic Bislett Stadium. But the Canadian didn’t panic. He simply waited for the straight to arrive before turning on the turbo-charger and reeling in the tall Norwegian. He dipped across the line to stop the clock at 20.14 - an excellent time but unfortunately assisted by an "illegal" 3 mps tailwind. "I never thought the last 80 metres would take so long," said the Canadian. Moen’s time was 20.23m - his fastest ever.

Crop-haired Olympic silver medallist Cathy Freeman set herself up as a favourite for Athens by running the 400m in 49.39 - the fastest in the world this year: "I am very relieved. I thought I would run between 50.0 and 50.5 so I am delighted. I did not think I was in that kind of shape." With Perec out of the picture Freeman is now toying with the idea of a 200/400m double in Athens.

22 year-old Beatrice Faumuina showed that New Zealand does not just produce middle distance runners as she hurled the discus out to 68.52 - a national record and the best in the world so far this year.

The 100m final proved you should beware of the quiet man. With sprinters like Maurice Green, Tim Montgomery and Bailey hogging the limelight recently it was easy to forget about Frankie Fredericks. Yet the modest Namibian prefers it that way and his victory in the 100m was his 10^th victory in 11 contests in 1997. Without fuss, Fredericks clocked 10.11 and seems ominously in form. The indefatigable Linford Christie was second in 10.17 with Dennis Mitchell third in 10.18. The American had been the most impressive in the heats with 10.01 - but the wind had dropped for the final.

In the women’s event Marion Jones came from behind to overhaul fast-starting Gail Devers. Jones, who was playing basketball until March this year, has been the revelation of the year in women’s athletics and her 11.01 victory showed that the US team can afford to do without Devers and Gwen Torrence in Athens.

In the men’s javelin, Jan Zelezny returned to something like his old form with a victory in 88.46. "I had only one good throw today. But one is better than none," said the Czech. The women’s event raised the biggest cheer of the night as Norway’s Trine Hattestad hurled the spear out to 69.36 with her first throw. That was enough for victory and makes Hattestad a solid favourite to regain the world title she won in 1993.