More Disi agony

It was a case of falling short yet again for Dieudonne Disi at the ongoing athletics World Championship in Osaka, Japan.

Friday, August 31, 2007

It was a case of falling short yet again for Dieudonne Disi at the ongoing athletics World Championship in Osaka, Japan.

Coming close to tasting success yet far from it to has been a norm with Rwanda’s leading long distance runner and the omen was yet again with him when he failed to make it the final of 5000m by just a place.

Thirty-six runners divided in two heats started the race of which only the first 15 with the best times qualified for final.

Disi fished with the 16th best time, how unfortunate.

Disi was in Heat Two, which also produced the top ten with the best time; he came 11th after clocking 13:47.30. Heat One produced the remaining five.

 Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge won Heat two in 13mins 33.37secs while Ethiopian’s Tariku Bekele won Heat One in 13mins 46.42secs.

In an e-mail message to Times Sport from Osaka, the 27-year old said, "I have finished running but I did not qualify for the final. They took the first 15 and I finished 16th.”

"But even then, I wasn’t well prepared for this competition because I have not done 5000m in over two years, the last time in did 5000m was during the 2005 All Africa Games in Abuja,” he added after the race Thursday night.

Since then, Disi has decided to concentrate on road races, taking part in quite a number of them across Europe.

At this year’s All Africa Games in Algiers two months ago, he came to the brink of finishing in the medal bracket in the men’s half marathon. He finished fourth.

The Rwandan team of two returns home next Tuesday and immediately start preparing for the next race in Vandam, Brussels, Belgium where Disi is expected to compete in 10000m hoping to achieve the minimum time for next year’s Beijing Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, Angelline Nyiransabimana was the first Rwandan for the exit chamber after failing to qualify from her heat in the women 5000m on Wednesday.

She finished 11th in Heat Two after clocking 15:53:23. Eight top finishers qualified for the finals.

The 20-year old who was making her first appearance at the World Championship and despite failing to reach the finals; she set a new national record.

Her time of 15:53:23 broke the 15-year old national record [15:58:00] set by Marcianne Mukamurenzi in Reims France.

Despite failure to overturn the poor performance exhibited in Algiers during the All Africa Games this year, Nyiransabimana has room for improvement as she looks forward to start preparations for next year’s Beijing Olympic Games in China.

Best 16 men 10000mEliud Kipchoge (Ken) 13:33.37secsAbraham Cherkos (Eth) 13:33.62Matthew Tegenkamp (USA) 13:35.05Craig Mottram (Aus) 13:36.18Juan Luis Barrios (Mex) 13:37.12Mohammed Farah (Gbr) 13:39.13Benjamin Limo (Ken) 13:41.47Adam Goucher (USA) 13:41.65Ali Abdalla (Eri) 13:42.00Felix Kikwai Kibore (Qat) 13:46.23Tariku Bekele (Eth) 13mins 46.42Jess Espaa (Spa) 13:46.45Bernard Lagat (USA) 13:46.57Hicham Bellani (Mar) 13:46.64Dieudonn Disi (Rwa) 13:47.30

Women 5000m heat 2 resultsMeseret Defar (ETH)-15:10:13Meselech Melkamu (ETH)-15:10:32Priscah Cherono (KEN)-15:11:22Joaane Pavey (GBR-15:11:82Silvia Westerner (ITA)-15:14:30Mariya Konovalova (RUS)-15:15:74Jessica Augusto (POR)-15:16:49Kayo Sugihara (JPN)-15:21:23Zakia Mrisho (TAN)-15:31:44Mary Teresa (IRL)-15:40:53A. Nyiransabimana (Rwa)-15:53:23Gabriel Trana (CRC)- 15:33:81Mariem Alaoui (MAR)-17:45:56

Ends