Yomi Omogbeja (30/04/2007)

Senegalese golden girl Amy Mbacke Thiam, the 2001 World Champion, ignited the track with a commanding win in the women’s 400m at the Meeting International d'Athletisme de la Ville de Dakar, the second meeting of the IAAF World Athletics Tour (WAT) 2007.

Nearly 50.000 spectators filled the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium which vibrated with the exploits of the star studded line up on the track. The turn out justifying the choice of Dakar as one the venue of this year's 24 prestigious WAT meetings.

Thiam, who was greeted with a standing ovation, did not disappoint her adoring fans as she went on to win the one lap race in 51.73. Nigeria’s Christy Ekpukhon was second in 52.15 while Croatia’s Danijela Grgic, the World junior champion, was third in 52.30.

An elated Thiam said after the race: "This was a very important victory for our country.

"Coming into the race there was a lot of pressure on my shoulders as no Senegalese had won any event.

"I hope this good fortune will continue as I seek to bring glory to Senegal at the All Africa Games in [Algiers] Algeria in July and the World [Athletics] Championships in Osaka."

Star-studded

With a line up that include the Olympic champions Angelo Taylor (400m hurdles), the Norwegian Andreas Thorkildsen (javelin), American World champion Reese Hoffa (Shot Put), the Nigerian Olusoji Fasuba, African 100m record-holder, Ugandan Abraham Chepkirwok (800m), Kenyan Kipkorir Kiplagat (3000m), and Thiam (400m), the crowd got value for their money.

Nigeria’s Olusoji Fasuba (10.17) edged Jamaican Christopher Williams (10.18) to win the men’s 100m. Compatriots Deji Aliu (10.22), Uchenna Emedolu (10.36) and Chinedu Oriala (10.39) came in third, fourth and sixth respectively.

Zimbabwe’s Talkmore Nyongani won the men's 400m in 45.98, Uganda’s Abraham Chepkirwok won the 800m in 1:46.85, Kenyan Kipkorir Kiplagat took the 3000m steeplechase in 7:47.37, and South African record holder Godfrey Mokoena took the men’s title with an 8.32m (+2.6) leap.

Jamaica’s Sheri-Ann Brooks with a wind assisted 23.30 edged out Nigeria’s Gloria Kemasuode (23.71) and Mali’s Kadiatou Camara (24.00) in the women's 200m.

For the present season, all this athletes are eyeing the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan and the All African Games in Algiers in the summer.

The meeting of Dakar was witnessed by many personalities which include: from the political world the Senegalese national Assembly President and Mayor of Dakar, Diop Pope, the Minister for the Sports Daouda Faye and sporting world represented by the IAAF President, Lamine Diack, the CAA President, Cameroonian Hammad Kalkaba Malboum among others.

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