Yomi Omogbeja (07/08/2005)

Zakari fails major hurdle again

Ghanaian star sprinter Aziz Zakari has again failed to live up to his billing at a major final.

The fastest African this season, with a 9.99 secs season's best, came last in 10.20 secs in the 100m at the 10th IAAF world championships in Helsinki.

After raising hopes with a stunning 10.00 secs finish in the Semi-finals behind eventual winner Justin Gatlin of the USA, Zakari faded out in the final.

Despite having a good season on the circuits with wins at the Golden league in Paris and Grand Prix in Greece, Zakari still faltered when it mattered most.

He also crashed out at the semi-finals of the 28th Olympic games in Athens 2004 in 10.11secs and the 27th Olympic games in Sydney 2000 in 10.16 secs, and was eighth with 10.24 secs at the 8th IAAF World Championships in Edmonton 2001.

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Nigerian 100m champion Uchenna Emedolu (10.16secs) and his compatriot Olusoji Fasuba (10.18secs) both failed to advance beyond the Semi-finals.

Mutola through to Finals

Mozambique's Maria de Lurdes Mutola has qualified for the final of the women's 800m which takes place on Tuesday 9th August.

The reigning World indoor and outdoor champion scraped through as one of the two fastest losers in 1:59.29, after she was caught before the line for one of the two automatic spots by America's Hazel Clark and Russian Chzhao Larisa.

Mutola, 32, who had suffered hamstrings problems since Athens Olympics last year said after the race: "I'm not satisfied with this run.

"I have had injuries during this season and they have made my training difficult. Therefore it was not easy.

"If I get to the final, there is no guarantee that I can run better."

Morroccan Hasna Benhassi also qualified for the final with 2:01.59 while her compatriot Amina Ait Hammou (2:00.22) and Namibian Agnes Samaria (2:00.13) failed to advance to the final.

Ojokolo advances to Semi-finals

Reigning Nigerian and African champion, Endurance Ojokolo was the only African qualifier for tommorrow's women's 100m semi-finals.

Ojokolo powered through as the last fastest qualifier in 11.33 secs after finishing fourth in her quarter-final Heat 4 won by Jamaican Sherone Simpson in 11.12 secs.

Five other African representatives missed out on the semi-final placing.

Ghana's Anim Vida was fifth in a season's best 11.41 secs while Cameroonian Delphine Atangana was last in 11.52 secs in Ojokolo's heat.

South African Geraldine Pillay was fourth in 11.48 secs and Nigeria's Mercy Nku came last with 11.57 secs in the quarter-final Heat 1, while in Heat 2, Ivorian Amandine Allou Affoué was seventh in 11.57secs.

Simpson picks Bronze for Ghana

African champion Margaret Simpson of Ghana threw her best-ever Javelin throw in a Heptathlon, 56.36 metres, to frog jumped Lithuanian Austra Skujyte and Briton Kelly Sotherton to the bronze medal in Helsinki.

Simpson pulled herself from 10th place after the opening day of event to amass a massive 6375 points at the close of competion.

South Africa's L.J. van Zyl equalled his personal best, set earlier in Athens this year, to qualify automatically for the men's 400m hurdles final in 48.16 secs ahead of favourite and American champion Kerron Clement (48.49 secs).

Sudan's Yamilé Aldama led the women's Triple Jump final competition briefly at the end of the first round with her best jump of the year, 14.72m but could only finish fourth, while Algeria's Baya Rahouli (14.40m) finished seventh.