© Copyright – 2016 – Athletics Illustrated
Canada’s Brandon McBride won his heat (6/7) in the time of 1:45.99. He led the entire way in an effort that appeared comfortable. Three each from seven heats move on to the semi-finals Saturday, plus the next two fastest times.
McBride split 51.83 for 400-metres and appeared to be on his way to a comfortable 1:45.00, but knew over the final 60-metres that he wasn’t being pushed and took his foot off the pedal.
McBride of Windsor is the second fastest Canadian all-time behind Kamloops native Gary Reed who won silver medal during the 2007 IAAF World Track and Field Championships and owns a 1:43.68. McBride has run 1:43.95 in July this year.
McBride ended up running the eighth-fastest time during the heats. As expected David Rudisha of Kenya ran the fastest time in a leisurely 1:45.09. He owns the current world record at 1:40.91. He also owns six of the eight fastest times all-time and is the defending Olympic champion.
Guelph’s Anthony Romaniw is out of the competition after running a 1:47.59.
Women’s 10,000-metres
In the women’s 10,000-metres, Canada had two athletes competing, Vancouver’s Natasha Wodak and London’s Lanni Marchant, who will also be racing the marathon.
Unusual in a championships race like the Olympics, the lead women went out fast kept up a world record pace and subsequently destroyed the world record that was set in 1993 in a suspected drugged performance by a 20-year-old Chinese athlete Wang Junxia in the time of 29:31.78.
The record was so ridiculous it has lasted 23 years and since that run, the closest athlete to that time, would still have finished approximately a half a lap behind. Ethiopia’s Meselech Melkamu ran in 29:53.80 in 2009.
Today, four of the top five times, all-time happened during the Rio Olympic Games event.
This morning Almaz Ayana ran a jaw-dropping 29:17.45. Did she perform that well because it was not your typical tactical championships race or for another nefarious reason?
Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot finished in 29:32.53 for silver, now the third fastest performance in history. Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia earned bronze in the time of 29:42.56, which is now the world’s fourth fastest time in history, while Alice Nawowuna of Kenya finished in 29:53.51.
Dibaba’s Coach Jama Aden earlier this summer was arrested in a raid for apparently being in possession of performance enhancing drugs. At least two of the three famous Dibaba sisters were suspected to be in the hotel with their coach at the time and were tested on the spot.
Apparently none of the approximately 22 athletes tested positive.
Wodak acquitted herself well running a season best and her second fastest time in 31:53.14. Her national record is 31:41.59.
Marchant, who is the second fastest current Canadian in the distance finished not too far behind Wodak in the time of 32:04.21, for 22nd and 25th overall, respectively.
American Molly Huddle finished in sixth place in the time of 30:13.17 ran a new personal best by nearly half a minute. She owns the American record over the 5,000-metre distance with her 14:42.64.
Thirty-seven athletes started the race, 35 finished.
Brianne Theisen-Eaton, a favourite to medal, started the Heptathlon events today, the high jump was in progress at press time.