America-Jamaica battle again on track today

Dinesh Weerawansa Reporting from Germany

The American-Jamaican track rivalry, which was evident in the two 100m races, would be extended to 200m as well on day five of the 12th IAAF World Championships at the Olympicstadion here in the German capital on Wednesday (19).

Jamaican Usain Bolt will have another 'bout' with his American rival Tyson Gay, this time in the men's 200m. The semi finals of men's 200m are scheduled for 7.25 pm local time and will immediately be followed by the women's 200m first round heats.

With Bolt having better credentials to bag the 200m title as well to complete that elusive sprint double, defending World champion Gay would still be entering the 200m in Berlin as the underdog.

Having set the current men's 200m World record of 19.30 in Beijing last year, Bolt has insisted that he might not be in as good form this year, but his 19.59 run in atrocious wet conditions in Lausanne gives an indication that he is ready to win his first senior World title. Gay did not compete in men's 200m event at last year's Olympic Games due to a leg injury but has bounced back to his best with a career best 19.58.

Hence, the Jamaican will have to fire all his cylinders and go all-out if he is to prevent Americans bouncing back. The women's 200m too would provide another platform for an American-Jamaican duel.

During last few seasons, the women's 200m has been the Allyson Felix (USA) and Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) show and few would bet against one or the other landing gold here in Berlin.

Defending champion Felix bagged the US title last June before opting to concentrate on the 100m and 400m. However, the long term vision was always the 200m at the World championships and her preparation was vindicated when she rocketed to the top of the world standings with a sensational 21.88 winning time in her last pre-Worlds appearance in Stockholm.

Having spent five weeks on the sidelines through injury in the spring, reigning Olympic 200m champion Campbell-Brown is going to have a tough time here. She is yet to regain her brilliant best but the Jamaican is a tough-cookie.

Evergreen Bahamian Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie is also capable of upsetting both Felix and Campbell-Brown. The 33-year-old is enjoying a new lease of life this season and raced to her fastest time for seven years with an impressive 22.23 time behind Felix in Stockholm. Joining Campbell-Brown on the Jamaican team are new women's 100 gold medalist Shelly Ann-Fraser and dark horse Simone Facey.

Fraser sprinted to the runner-up spot in a respectable 22.58 at the Jamaican Championships and although the Olympic 100m champion lacks 200m experience her presence in the half-lap race must be respected.

Adding power to the US camp headed by Felix will be Muna Lee and Marshevet Hooker.

Lee was an impressive runner-up at the US champs in a wind-aided 22.13 but has shown little real form since. Hooker was third at the US championships and finished fourth in 22.84 in her most recent 200m outing in Stockholm.

Meanwhile, Kenenisa Bekele wasn't going to get caught out like his female compatriots in the 10,000m at the Olympic stadion last night.

The 27-year-old Ethiopean who is yet to lose in a 10,000m competition in his career with 12 wins in 12 races, gave a sprint finish to the long distance event. With the gold in Berlin, Bekele has now won an improbable four consecutive titles in this event starting with Paris 2003 which he won in 26:49.57, a championship record which stood until today.

The race started with Eritrean Zersenay Tadesse sprinting to the front and covering the first 200 metres in a quick 28 seconds. Tadesse remained in the front to reach 400m in 65 seconds, but after that the pace slowed down a bit with Qatari Nicholas Kemboi moving to the lead.

The 25-year-old led the group through 1000 metres in 2:46.24, 2000m in 5:34.05, 3000m in 8:19.55 and 4000m in 11:04.75. But with the pace being somewhat slow something was bound to happen. Just a few moments after the 4000m mark Tadesse moved to the front again.

Poland's Anna Rogowska and Spain's Marta Dominguez won the Pole Vault and the Steeplechase gold medals respectively within a minute of each other.

Title favourite Yelena Isinbayeva relinquished her four-year reign as World champion by disappointingly no-heighting as Anna Rogowska seized her chance to take gold for Poland with a best effort of 4.75m.

Behind, the silver medal was shared by Rogowska's countrywoman Monika Pyrek and suprise podium placer Chelsea Johnson of the USA. Both securing their piece of precious metal with first time clearances at 4.65m.

BERLIN, Tuesday.