Kipketer, Komen, El Guerrouj, Beckford and Pedroso put on a great show in a rain-drenched Golden Gala

From Giorgio Reineri in Rome

Wilson Kipketer forged his path amid thunder, lightning and a torrential downpour to establish a new world record performance in a storm(99% humidity): 1:43.54 in the 800m… The Dane ran an impressive race: with the first 400m led by Kenyan Peter Biwott at a pace as crazy as the sky (48.54), Kipketer was running on water - you could almost have mistaken the track for the nearby Tevere River - with the same ease that Alexander Popov shows in the swimming pool. There can be no doubt that if the Dane had been running only against the clock and not against Nature, Sir Sebastian Coe’s long-standing record (1:41.73) would have fallen after a glorious sixteen years. Rome’s Golden Gala Grand Prix meeting would have been a worthy stage for this and the 27,500 spectators thronging the Olympic stadium despite the horrendous weather a meritorious audience.

The record did not fall, but never mind: Wilson Kipketer confirmed that - after his 1:42.67 in the World Indoor Championships in Paris - he could get down to around the 1:40 mark without killing himself. When will this happen? Probably as soon as the champion is able to run under a more clement sky.

But the Golden Gala was not short on results. The young Nigerian Francis Obikwelu (19) ran 10.15 in his race, in the pouring rain, of course. Obikwelu, world junior champion in Sydney last year, has a lot of cards to play this season and put up the best time of all despite being relegated to the B race. His time was better than that of Linford Christie, who came up trumps with a surprising 10.20 photo finish with Deji Aliu (NGR) and Osmond Ezinwa (NGR) - all three were given the same time - aand ahead of Michael Green and Bruny Surin.

No-one was able to surprise Daniel Komen. When he spread his wings - it’s hardly sufficient to speak of legs when talking of Komen - Salah Hissou , the 10,000m world record holder, was left behind in a cloud of spray! Although Hissou himself is outstanding, Komen, who won the 5000m in 12:48.98, just 4 seconds short of Haile Gebrselassie’s world record, is like a motorcyclist racing against pedestrians. Between the showers, he ran the last kilometre in 2:27 (his time over 3000m was 7:49.13) and, kicking out impressively in the last 250 metres, left Hissou standing.

The middle distance races were of an equally high standard: El Guerrouj ran a superb 1500 - probably missing the world record time through the rain - and Moses Kiptanui ran a classic race in the 3000 steeplechase. Kiptanui’s domination of this event is amply demonstrated by his 8:07.50 - best time so far this season - ahead of his compatriot Bernard Barmasai.

The women’s middle distance races were also excellent: Lidia Cheromei, who is married to the great Ismael Kirui, soundly beat Fernanda Ribeiro (POR), the current world record holder in the 5000m. She also beat Gete Wami with her time of 14:49.37, a personal best and also the best performance so far this year. Just as irresistible was Ana Fidelia Quirot’s sprint. Svetlana Masterkova, who may have been over confident following her successes of last year, was beaten by both the Cuban and Yelena Afanasyeva.

Even the rain was unable to dampen the enthusiasm of the athletes in yet another excellent Golden Gala. Two - almost - new and rising talents are worthy of note: the Italian Fabrizio Mori finished strongly to win the 400m hurdles in 48.31 and the Moroccan Nehza Bidouane won the women’s event in a finish that could herald a worthy successor to her illustrious compatriot Nawal El Moutawakel.

Another great finish came from James Beckford who managed to steal victory from Ivan Pedroso in the long jump in his final attempt. Both cleared 8.48m, but the Jamaican won the event thanks to his second best distance of 8.43m (against 8.25). We can look forward to a long night in Athens when these two champions fight their world title battle.