Masai stuns Ethiopians, smiling Bolt moves on
Linet Masai ended a 12-year title drought for Kenya with victory in the women's 10,000m while Usain Bolt exchanged smiles with a training partner on his way to the 100m semifinals at the World Athletics Championships.
Linet Masai ended a 12-year title drought for Kenya with victory in the women's 10,000m while Usain Bolt exchanged smiles with a training partner on his way to the 100m semifinals at the World Athletics Championships.
Masai, 19, took full advantage of the injury-related absence of two-time defending champion Tirunesh Dibaba to win a slow-paced race in 30 minutes 51.24 seconds in Berlin on Sunday.
She pipped Ethiopian season leader Meselech Melkamu (30:51.34) on the final strides, with Wude Ayalew of Ethiopia third in 30:51.95.
The three-time Olympic champion Bolt strolled through his second round race, easing up after little more than half of the distance and spending the remaining seconds exchanging smiles with his training partner Daniel Bailey of Antigua.
Bailey won in 10.02 to Bolt's 10.03. Former world record holder Asafa Powell led the round with 9.95 seconds and Bolt's alleged principle rival Tyson Gay 9.98 after a terrible start due to his nagging groin problem. "The groin is pretty sore," said Gay, who limped out in the Olympic semi-final last year. "But it went pretty well."
Bolt had nothing to say while Powell, who has always chocked in big finals, was happy to have survived a morning scare in the heats when he eased up too soon and was almost eliminated. "It feels good. I just wanted to get out of today," said Powell.