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2003 World Championships in Athletics Paris, France

2003 9th IAAF World Championships - Paris - Women's 5000m

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Details: Parent Category: World Championships in Athletics; Category: 2003 World Championships in Athletics Paris, France; Last Updated: 08 October 2020; Hits: 245

Host City: Saint-Denis, Paris, France

Format: First round (First 5 & 5 fastest to final) (Aug 26)

Dates: 23 August – 31 August

Nations participating: 198

Athletes participating: 1679

Main venue: Stade de France

Overview by IAAF

The standard set in the heats was the highest ever in a championship 5000m, with 15:04.00 insufficient for progress. Olga Yegorova was a shadow of her 2001 self and was eliminated from the first heat in 10th place. In the final, 3000m was reached in 9:08.88 and 12 of the 15 finalist were in touch with two laps left. Zadorozhnaya, who had also qualified for the 1500m final, took up the pace and covered the penultimate lap in 68.1. She led down the final backstraight then Domínguez slipped through on the inside with exactly 200m left. Zadorozhnaya and Masai were on the heels of the Spaniard and one felt the gold would go to one of those three, only for young Ethiopian Dibaba to glide past them all on the outside with the finish in sight. Masai briefly held second place before Domínquez responded to repeat her 2001 silver. At 18 years 90 days, Dibaba became the youngest ever individual world champion based on her Paris entry birthdate of June 1, 1985. At subsequent championships, an even later birthdate has been submitted for her: October 1, 1985. So she was apparently only 17 years 333 days old in Paris.

These are the official results of the Women's 5000 metres event at the 2003 IAAF World Championships in Paris, France. There were a total number of 33 participating athletes, with two qualifying heats and the final held on Saturday 30 August 2003 at 18:35h.

Tirunesh Dibaba, at 17 years 333 days, is the youngest individual World Champion ever.

	5000m			*30 August*
	Final
Event Report Women 5000m Final The final of the women's 500 metres proved to be very different from the heats. With fast times and many seasonal and personal bests in the heats, the final started up very slowly. Gabriela SZABO (ROM) lead the group through 1000m in 3:04.25 and 2000m in 6:09.8 (3:05.63 km). Much faster pace was not seen during the next two kilometres either. The women's 5000m final proved to be a tactical duel. Isabella OCHICHI (KEN), took control of the race after 2000m. At around 2700m she tried to move to increase the pace, but little happened. The only one who cleary lost contact with the pack at this stage was 1995 world champion Sonia O'SULLIVAN (IRL). Ochichi reached 3000m in 9:08.88, with a 2:59.00 km. Some runners dropped off the leading pack during the next kilometre of 2:57.57, clocking 12:06.45 at 4000m, the race still lead by Ochichi. Even at this slow pace no-one tried to make a move before the last lap. Even the Chinese SUN Yingjie, third in the 10000m, who commanded the pace in both the 10000m and 5000m heat, looked tired during the race and did not lead at any stage. Yelena ZADOROZHNAYA (RUS) moved to the lead with 700m to go. Zadoroznaya's pace was too much for Gabreila SZABO (ROM). This was not a total surprise considering her problems earlier this season. She dropped off during last two laps. With 300m remaining, the sprint was on. Sun was no threat, with 10000m World Champion Berhane ADERE (ETH) in trouble, it was Marta DOMINGUEZ (ESP) who took the lead with 200m to go. The front straight saw another Ethiopian's sprint finish as surprisingly 18-year-old Tirunesh DIBABA out sprinted Kenyan favourite Edith MASAI. Dominguez, who for a moment seemed to drop back, got back ahead of Masai just before the finish line to take the silver. Dibaba, who set a world junior record of 14:39.94 earlier this season, won in 14:51.72 with Dominguez running 14:52.26 for second place. Dibaba became the youngest ever individual champion at the World Championships at the age of 18 years and 90 days. Masai, usually the strongest in the sprint for home had to accept third place in 14:52.30, only 0.06 seconds ahead of Zadoroznaya (14:52.36). Elvan ABEYGELESSE (TUR) set her personal best of 14:53.56 for fifth place and Ochichi, who lead the race for a long time, was sixth in 14:54.08. Gulnara SAMITOVA (RUS), who could well be a favourite for the next world championships in Helsinki 2005, also bettered her personal best to take seventh place in 14:54.38. Samitova is the world record holder for the 3000m steeplechase and this event will be introduced in the next edition of the championships. Courtney BABCOCK (CAN) set a national record at eighth (14:54.98) to finish before two 10000m medallists from these championships, Sun (9th 14:57.01) and Adere (10th 14:58.07). These two seemed to pay the price for their third distance race here and could not show their best in the final sprint. Behind Sun and Adere finished Szabo in 14:59.36. Olympic champion in Sydney and world champion from Seville in 1999 was also disappointed with her 8th place in Edmonton two years ago.
1	Tirunesh Dibaba	ETH	1 Oct 85	14.51.72
2	Marta Domínguez	ESP	3 Nov 75	14.52.26
3	Edith Masai	KEN	4 Apr 67	14.52.30
4	Yelena Zadorozhnaya	RUS	3 Dec 77	14.52.36
5	Elvan Abeylegesse	TUR	11 Sep 82	14.53.56
6	Isabella Ochichi	KEN	28 Oct 79	14.54.08
7	Gulnara Galkina	RUS	9 Jul 78	14.54.38
8	Courtney Babcock	CAN	30 Jun 72	14.54.98		NR
9	Sun Yingjie	CHN	3 Oct 77	14.57.01
10	Berhane Adere	ETH	21 Jul 73	14.58.07
11	Gabriela Szabo	ROU	14 Nov 75	14.59.36
12	Émilie Mondor	CAN	29 Apr 81	15.02.36
13	Zhour El Kamch	MAR	15 Mar 73	15.16.73
14	Sonia O'Sullivan	IRL	28 Nov 69	15.29.72
	Heats			*26 August*
Event Report Women 5000m Heats The two heats of the women's 5000m were a stark contrast of approaches, the first was frenetic all the way while the second saw a gradual build up of tempo. In heat one the initial pace was solid with the first kilometre passed in 3:00.77, the lead held by Japanese runner Kayoko FUKUSHI. Sitting on her shoulder was Chinese competitor Yingjie SUN, who ran so bravely in Saturday's 10000m. Not happy with this tempo Sun took her unusual low arm action running style to the front with a big surge at 1500m. Quickly the lap times dropped from 72 to 67 and 68 seconds. Sun was closely followed by Marta DOMINGUEZ (ESP) and African pair Tirunesh DIBABA (ETH) and Edith MASAI (KEN). The second and third kilometres were covered in 2:55.02 and 2:54.55, to reach 3000m in 8:50.34. At this stage Sun's pace eased slightly to around 71 seconds, still enough to ensure the first sub 15 minute heat ever at these championships. Having done all the work Sun was a sitting duck in the final 100m as first Masai and then Dibaba streaked past her. Masai clocked a half second personal best, 14:45.35, while Sun recorded only her second sub 15 miniute performance, 14:46.73. Dominguez hung on to finish fourth, slicing 10 seconds off her best. Experienced Moroccan Zahra OUAZIZ, who sat back from the slick pace up front, strolled home in the last automatic qualifying spot. Defending champion Olga YEGOROVA (RUS) was back in 10th spot in 15:12.41. The second heat was a more sedate affair as the experienced heads of Sonia O'SULLIVAN (IRL), champ in 1995, and Gabriela SZABO (ROM), champ in 1997 and 1999, controlled things from the front for the first half of the race. They covered the first two kilometres in 6:07.38. After six laps O'Sullivan stepped wide to allow someone else to take up the running. The pace was then set by Kenyan Isabella OCHICHI, shadowed by world leader Berhane ADERE (ETH). With an increase in pace the pack thinned to eight. The next two kilometres were covered in 6:00.24. A number of athletes had brief spurts in the lead, with it all coming down to the last lap. Elvan ABEYLEGESSE (TUR) stole a break down the back straight. O'Sullivan and Adere were quick to move into the safety of the first three. Abeylegesse crossed the line for her first time under 15 minutes, trailed in by O'Sullivan and Adere. The scramble for the last two automatic qualifying spots was desperate. Ochichi, Szabo and Russian Yelena ZADOROZHNAYA all crossed the line together, with the latter two tangling after the line. Ochichi nabbed fourth, while the other two were given the same time, 14:56.70, with the Russian given the nod by the photo finish. Szabo's slick time for sixth was enough to progress on times. In all 13 athletes went under 15 minutes with 15:01.48 required to qualify for the final.
	Heat 1
1	Edith Masai	KEN	4 Apr 67	14.45.35	Q
2	Tirunesh Dibaba	ETH	1 Oct 85	14.45.96	Q
3	Sun Yingjie	CHN	3 Oct 77	14.46.73	Q
4	Marta Domínguez	ESP	3 Nov 75	14.48.33	Q
5	Zahra Ouaziz	MAR	20 Dec 69	14.52.66	Q
6	Gulnara Galkina	RUS	9 Jul 78	14.58.88	q
7	Émilie Mondor	CAN	29 Apr 81	14.59.68	q
8	Jane Wanjiku	KEN	14 Jun 79	15.04.00
9	Meseret Defar	ETH	19 Nov 83	15.11.72
10	Olga Yegorova	RUS	28 Mar 72	15.12.41
11	Kayoko Fukushi	JPN	25 Mar 82	15.16.53
12	Souad Aït Salem	ALG	6 Jan 79	15.34.64
13	Catherine Chikwakwa	MAW	24 Jul 85	15.40.10
14	Simret Sultan	ERI	20 Jul 84	16.09.48		NU20R
15	Inés Melchor	PER	30 Aug 86	17.17.90
	Lornah Kiplagat	NED	1 May 74	DNS
	Heat 2
1	Elvan Abeylegesse	TUR	11 Sep 82	14.54.95	Q
2	Sonia O'Sullivan	IRL	28 Nov 69	14.55.50	Q
3	Berhane Adere	ETH	21 Jul 73	14.56.01	Q
4	Isabella Ochichi	KEN	28 Oct 79	14.56.63	Q
5	Yelena Zadorozhnaya	RUS	3 Dec 77	14.56.70	Q
6	Gabriela Szabo	ROU	14 Nov 75	14.56.70	q
7	Zhour El Kamch	MAR	15 Mar 73	15.00.61	q
8	Courtney Babcock	CAN	30 Jun 72	15.01.48	q
9	Irina Mikitenko	GER	23 Aug 72	15.06.97
10	Restituta Joseph	TAN	30 Jul 71	15.10.54
11	Lauren Fleshman	USA	26 Sep 81	15.12.71
12	Xing Huina	CHN	25 Feb 84	15.13.50
13	Hrisostomía Iakóvou	GRE	9 Apr 71	15.44.90
14	Susanne Pumper	AUT	1 Sep 70	15.53.52
15	Dorcus Inzikuru	UGA	2 Feb 82	16.00.99
16	Lilian Argereta	HON		20.17.90
	Anesie Kwizera	BDI	12 Dec 86	DNS

Startlist

Heat 1 26 AUG 2003 19:05

Order / Lane	Bib	ATHLETE	COUNTRY	PB	SB 2003
1	656	Edith Masai	KEN	14:45.86	14:50.60
2	178	Yingjie Sun	CHN	14:40.41	15:14.65
3	294	Marta Domínguez	ESP	14:58.12	15:28.53
4	617	Kayoko Fukushi	JPN	14:55.19	15:09.02
5	320	Tirunesh Dibaba	ETH	14:39.94	14:39.94
6	715	Catherine Chikwakwa	MAW	15:41.32	15:41.32
7	152	Émilie Mondor	CAN	15:07.73	15:07.73
8	318	Meseret Defar	ETH	14:40.34	14:40.34
9	764	Lornah Kiplagat	NED	14:56.43	14:56.43
10	820	Inés Melchor	PER	16:53.37	16:53.37
11	954	Olga Yegorova	RUS	14:29.32	14:55.19
12	709	Zahra Ouaziz	MAR	14:32.08	14:47.45
13	279	Simret Sultan	ERI	16:35.38	16:56.90
14	13	Souad Aït Salem	ALG	15:18.76	15:18.76
15	949	Gulnara Galkina	RUS	15:04.58	15:04.58
16	661	Jane Wanjiku Gakunyi	KEN	15:05.26	15:05.26

Heat 2 26 AUG 2003 19:27

Order / Lane	Bib	ATHLETE	COUNTRY	PB	SB 2003
1	1048	Restituta Joseph	TAN	15:04.73i	15:04.73i
2	316	Berhane Adere	ETH	14:29.32	14:29.32
3	147	Courtney Babcock	CAN	15:07.53	15:20.66
4	1130	Lauren Fleshman	USA	15:15.48	15:15.48
5	78	Anesie Kwizera	BDI	16:16.57	16:16.57
6	53	Susanne Pumper	AUT	15:10.54	15:18.79
7	659	Isabella Bosibori Ochichi	KEN	14:52.33	14:52.33
8	958	Yelena Zadorozhnaya	RUS	14:40.47	14:51.61
9	546	Sonia O'Sullivan	IRL	14:41.02	15:06.19
10	179	Huina Xing	CHN	14:56.15	15:00.02
11	706	Zhor El Kamch	MAR	14:42.53	14:42.53
12	1081	Docus Inzikuru	UGA	15:18.01	15:54.81
13	884	Gabriela Szabo	ROU	14:31.48	14:41.35
14	518	Lilian Claber Argereta	HON	21:08.0	21:08.0
15	451	Irina Mikitenko	GER	14:42.03	14:56.64
16	480	Hrisostomía Iakóvou	GRE	15:15.32	15:15.32
17	1077	Elvan Abeylegesse	TUR	15:00.49	15:06.63