Yomi Omogbeja (30/07/2005)

African Athletes marked their preparation for next month's World Championships with sterling performances at the ExxonMobil Bislett Games – TDK/IAAF Golden League meeting - in Norway.

Kenya's John Kibowen, Ghana's Aziz Zakari, Congo’s Gary Kikaya and SA's Mbulaeni Mulaudzi won their races in front of a sell-out crowd of 15,400 in Oslo’s new Bislett stadium.

In the absence of Ethiopian world record-holder Kenesisa Bekele, Kibowen led a Kenyan sweep of the men's 5000m in 13:07.74.

Moses Mosop was second in 13:07.81, Commonwealth champion Sammy Kipketer was third in a season's best 13:09.16, whilst Shadrak Korir and Bernard Kiprop were fourth and fifth in personal bests time of 13:09.92 and 13:09.96 respectively.

Kibowen said: "A win is always very good preparation for a big event and I'm happy I was also able to repeat the win from last year. It looks like good things could now happen to me.

"In 2003, Bekele was the main favourite in Paris and he did not win. I think so is the situation also now – in Helsinki it will anybody's race."

Gary Kikaya took the men’s 400m in 44.81 from Jamaican Brandon Simpson (44.86). Former World indoor champion Tyree Washington finished third in 45.30.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi emerge victorius in the men's 'A' 800m out-leaning Russian Yuriy Borzakovskiy on the line in a very tight finish (1:44.15 to 1:44.18). Kenyan Alfred Kirwa Yego was third in a personal best of 1:44.45.

Kenyan Alex Kipchirchir won the men’s ‘B’ 800m in a season's best 1:45.54.

Zakari again

Aziz Zakari won the men's 100m in 10.02secs ahead of Trinidad and Tobago'S Marc Burns (10.07) and American Tyson Gay (season's best 10.16).

"This track is very fast. I am sure that there will be very strong results here," Zakari said.

"Now I am looking forward to the World Championships in Helsinki. My great goal for the season is to win a medal at the World Championships at 100m. "

Ethiopian-born Maryam Yusuf Jamal, now competing for Bahrain, claimed a world season’s lead of 8:28.87 in the women's 3000m.

Kenyan Isabella Ochichi was second in a season's best 8:31.42 while Gete Wami was fourth in 8:36.22.

Sudan’s Yamile Aldama’s first effort of 14.27m was only good enough for third position in the women's Triple Jump.

South African World champion Jacques Freitag was tied for third place in the men’s High Jump with 2002 European gold medallist Yaroslav Rybakov of Russia on 2.25m.

The event was won by Stefan Holm on count-back from Czech's Jaroslav Baba after both men cleared 2.29m.

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