Yomi Omogbeja (31/07/2004)

A commanding win for South African high jumper Hestrie Cloete, a spectacular 5000m effort from Haile Gebrselassie, victories for Maria Mutola and Edith Masai, marked a glorious day for African athletes at the Norwich Union London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace yesterday.

The 25-year-old Cloete once again dominated the women’s High jump clearing a height of 2.03 metres after her challengers including Ukrainian Vita Styopina, American Amy Acuff and Croatian Blanka Vlasic have all failed at 1.97metres.

Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie was in blistering form winning the 5000m in the fastest time ever run in the UK, and the fifth fastest in the world this year 12:55.51.

Gebrselassie however had to cope with the scare of the tall Australian Craig Mottram who passed him at the bell and led all the way into the home straight.

Mottram’s 12:55.76 seconds was a new national record and a personal best for him.

Moroccan Abderrahim Goumri was third in 12:59.04 seconds and Kenya’s Boniface Songok finished fourth in 13:00.62.

Back to form

Mozambique’s Maria Mutola, who has been plagued by injuries this season, won the 800m in 1:59.17 seconds despite fading badly in the late stages.

Still far from her best form, Mutola managed to hold off the late challenge of Morocco’s Mina Ait Hammou who was second in 1:59.34 seconds.

“I lost about two weeks training with the hamstring injury. I seem to be coming back to form now and luckily the Olympics is still three weeks away, so I ought to be back to my best by then, Mutola said after the race.”

Kenya’s Paul Korir won the Emsley Carr Mile in 3:49.84 – the fastest time in the world this year. Compatriot Eliud Kipchoge was third in 3:50.40 seconds.

Edith Masai of Kenya won the women’s 5000 metres in 14:58.96 seconds.