IAAF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS - DAY 1: CHERONO DEFENDS GOLD IN 3000m
By Chris Lotsbom
(c) 2010 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - used with permission

Results

(19-Jul) -- It did not take long for history to be made at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada.  In the first event contested at the 10,000-seat Stade Moncton 2010, Mercy Cherono of Kenya became the first junior woman ever to repeat as champion of the 3000m competition.  Breaking away from a pack of six with less than 200m remaining, the 19 year-old Cherono kicked down the final straightaway, breaking the tape in 8:55.07.  Her time is the fastest run by a junior this year. 

After Purity Rionoripo, also from Kenya, led the field of twenty through the first Kilometer, Cherono decided to briefly tuck in behind Bahrain's Tejitu Daba and Azerbaijan's Layes Abdullayeva.  But shortly after passing the halfway mark, Cherono again bolted to the front.  With her quick surge, Cherono temporarily strung out the lead pack.  But it wasn't enough to break Daba, Abdullayeva, Rionoripo, and Ethiopia's Emebet Anteneh. 

Not until the final 100m did Cherono put her stranglehold on the chasers. Doing just enough to earn the victory, Cherono crossed the line a hair in front Anteneh, finishing the race in a world junior leading time of 8:55.07. Cherono earned her second Junior Championship title of the year, as in March the Kenyan won the IAAF World Junior Cross Country championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. 

“It feels so good – I was so happy to defend my gold,” said Cherono. 

Placing second was Anteneh in 8:55.24, while Abdullayeva finished third in 8:55.33.

The top American in the field was Jordan Hasay, who finished ninth in a personal best of 9:15.78.  Finishing one spot and nearly a second behind was Emily Sisson, who also set a personal best of 9:16.80. 

Tomorrow, preliminary heats of the women's 3000m Steeplechase, 800m, and men's 1500m  will take place, while the final of the men's 10,000m will be contested. 

ENDS