Chinese distance runners draw a blank in Helsinki
By Chen Xiangfeng (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-08-08 05:37

HELSINKI: Chinese long distance runners tried hard to duplicate the success they achieved at the Athens Olympics last year, but their efforts ended in vain when they missed a medal in the women's 10,000m at the opening day of the 10th IAAF World Athletics Championships on Saturday.

A combination of the Olympic women's 10,000m gold medallist Xing Huina and her teammates 2003 world champions bronze medallist Sun Yingjie, based on big meet performances over the past two years, was unable to secure China a medal here. Xing finished fourth in 30min 27.18 second while Sun had to settle for the seventh place.

The Ethiopian women dominated the medal podium as Tirunesh Dibaba clinched the gold in 30min 24.02sec followed by defending champion Berhane Adere's 30:25.41,and her elder sister, Ejegayehu Dibaba for bronze, in 30:26.00 - the first time siblings have won medals in the same individual event at a senior World Championships.

Chinese women, who dominated the middle and long distance running in early 1990s with "Ma's Army", have not won a gold medal in the last five World Championships in distance running events.

"They (Ethiopian runners) are performing brilliantly. But I also ran at normal level. My target is to finish in the top three," said Xing. "But I am still satisfied with the finishing time."

"They (Ethiopians) sped up suddenly in the last gap and I tried to follow. But it was too late and they were running too fast," Xing added.

China's latest gold medal was won by Wang Junxia in the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart of Germany in the women's 10,000m.

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