Tirunesh Dibaba Solid Gold

Just when I thought she will never be able to top her Osaka performance Tirunesh Dibaba does it gain. The World Records set by Junxia Wang in '93 of China is drug induced. Tirunesh essentially set a World Record with the temperature in the high 70s. A champion does what it takes to win. Remember Haile in Sydney? In that context, it took for Dibaba to set a WR to win and she did what she had to do. With this sold win she has placed herself in the upper echelon of golden champions right there with Haile. Solid Gold Tirunesh!

11 of the top 13 runners set some sort of record in this race. Ejegayehu Dibabadid not rise to the occasion. Ejegayehu was off her PB of 30:18.39 by more than a minute. She was also off here Athens time of 30:24.98 by 58 seconds. This is a huge drop off. I wonder if she has the hunger of a champion. What ever happened to the Athens silver medalist we knew? I suspect this may be her last hurrah. Look for her to fade from the 10,000.

Mestawet Tufa is fast becoming a perennial disappointment. No one ever questions her talent. But somehow she seems to choke under the bright lights. No doubt she is hungry, but hunger alone does not win championships. Champions figure out ways to win when conditions change and it that that Mestawet has had a problem doing. At 25, she may have a few more chances but this was her big opportunity.

Next Olympics it my very well be Meseret and Tirunesh in the 10,000M and there are just too many young budding atheltes.

The disappointements should not take away from an amazing performance by Tirunesh. Today we saw a display of hardwork, courage, confidence and determination. These are attibutes we all want to have more of. She is simply an amazing human being.