JOIN USFormer 10,000 metres world record holder Haile Gebrselassie failed to qualify for the London Olympics after finishing seventh at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games in Hengelo on Sunday.
The 39-year-old trailed home in a time of 27 minutes 20.39 seconds, nearly nine seconds behind winner Tariku Bekele in a race staged as an official Ethiopian Olympic trial.
"I was wondering if I can run, you know, just the top three, but it did not work," Gebreselassie told ‘Reuters’. "The last 400M it was not good for me." Gebreselassie admitted his Olympic dream had died. "That's over, yeah," he said. "No more."
Bekele finished in 27:11.70, just ahead of Leleisa Desisa Benti who will join him in London. The third spot in the Ethiopian team is being held open for world record holder Kenenisa Bekele who has been suffering from injury problems.
Chepkok sparkles
Vincent Chepkok set a world-leading time of 12:59.28 in the men’s 5000M at the World Athletics Meeting in Rabat, Morocco, on Sunday.
Results: Men: 100M: Justin Gatlin (US) 10.12 seconds, 1; Kim Collins (St Kitts and Nevis) 10.17, 2; Aziz Ouhadi (Morocco) 10.29, 3. 200M: Aziz Ouhadi (Morocco) 20.50 seconds, 1; David Alerte (France) 20.67, 2; Amr Seoud (Egypt) 20.72, 3. 800M: Mohammed Aman (Ethiopia) 1:43.58, 1; Leonard Kirwa Kosencha (Kenya) 1:43.60, 2; Amine El Manaoui (Morocco) 1:45.00, 3. 1500M: Abdalaati Iguider (Morocco) 3:34.39, 1; Taoufik Makhloufi (Algeria) 3:34.53, 2; Yassine Bensghir (Morocco) 3:34.76, 3.
5000M: Vincent Kiprop Chepkok (Kenya) 12:59.28, 1; Jacob Korir Cheshari (Kenya) 13:02.94, 2; Moukhled Al-Outaibi (Saudi Arabia) 13:03.58, 3. 400M hurdles: Felix Sanchez (Dominican Republic) 48.93 seconds, 1; David Greene (Britain) 48.96, 2; Jack Green (Britain) 49.45, 3 Long jump: Greg Rutherford (Britain) 8.17 metres, 1; Aleksandr Menkov (Russia) 8.10, 2; Chris Tomlinson (Britain) 8.01, 3. Javelin throw: Tom Goyvaerts (Belgium) 78.88 metres, 1; Ainars Kovals (Latvia) 78.38, 2; Risto Maetas (Estonia) 78.04, 3.
Women: 800M: Btissam Lakhouad (Morocco) 2:00.22, 1; Lydia Wafula (Kenya) 2:00.99, 2; Nataliya Lupu (Ukraine) 2:01.04, 3. 1500M: Halima Hachlaf (Morocco) 4:07.63, 1; Rabab Arafi (Morocco) 4:08.68, 2; Hilary Stellingwerff (Canada) 4:09.01, 3. 5000M: Mariem Alaoui Selsouli (Morocco) 14:45.91, 1; Janet Kisa (Kenya) 14:57.68, 2; Priscah Jepleting Cherono (Kenya) 14:59.53, 3.
400M hurdles: Muizat Ajoke Odumosu (Nigeria) 55.36 seconds, 1; Hanna Yaroshchuk (Ukraine) 55.41, 2; Latosha Wallace (US) 55.64, 3. High jump: Tia Hellebaut (Belgium) 1.96 metres, 1; Venelina Veneva-Mateeva (Bulgaria) 1.93, 2; Airine Palsyte (Lithuania) 1.87, 3.
Triple jump: Olha Saladuha (Ukraine) 14.75 metres, 1; Caterine Ibargueen (Colombia) 14.48, 2; Viktoriya Valyukevich (Russia) 14.38, 3. Javelin throw: Goldie Sayers (Britain) 62.35 metres, 1; Kathrina Molitor (Germany) 60.39, 2; Madara Palameika (Latvia) 59.39, 3.