Canadian steeplechasers outclassed at worlds
The gap between Canada's elite middle-distance runners and the world's best was exposed again Monday during the men's 3,000-metre steeplechase at the world track and field championships in Daegu, South Korea.
Neither Canadian champion Alex Genest of Lac-aux-Sables, Que., nor teammate Matt Hughes of Ottawa could advance to the final.
Genest gave an honest account of himself but struggled during the second kilometre when the front-running Jacob Araptany of Uganda repeatedly surged. The erratic pace was too much for the Canadian. While the Uganda won in 8:18.57, Genest faded to ninth place in 8:36.67.
"I knew that I needed the best race of my life to get into the final," said the 25-year-old Genest, who became a father for the first time on July 1. "What I didn't know is how you can have the best race of your life in a tactical race."
"When I ran 8:19 in Barcelona it was almost even pace all the way through. Every time I did my personal best times it was even pace. So now lets get back to training and doing the [surges] in training."
Hughes, who successfully defended his NCAA championship in this event back in June, tried to run with the lead pack in the early stages of his heat but capitulated, eventually finishing 10th in 8:58.52.
"My season started in January and I peaked two months ago," he said. "Really, this race was just to get exposure and experience and I knew I had to pull something out of the hat to make the final. I know my best race was at the NCAA. This was about hanging on to whatever fitness I had left."
Hughes set a new personal best of 8:24.87 in winning that second NCAA title for the University of Louisville. He returns for a season of cross-country before turning his attention to the London Olympics.
"I actually don't graduate until May, so hopefully after cross-country season I can start talking to agents and pick up a contract and get all those things rolling before London," he said. "I feel I have done all my best running at Louisville, so if we can sit down and periodize something so I can peak in London instead of June, I feel that's my best bet."
After the first two events in the women's heptathlon, Ruky Abdulai of Coquitlam, B.C., was in 12th place and London's Jessica Zelinka in 19th.
Both Canadian entrants got off to a good start in the 100m hurdles. Zelinka finished thirrd in a season-best time of 13.01, behind reigning European and world champion Jessica Ennis of Great Britain and Hyleas Fountain, the 2008 Olympic silver medalist. The American won the heat in 12.93 with Ennis second in 12.94.
In the third of three heats, Abdulai, who won the Canadian championship this year over Zelinka, raced to a new personal best of 13.60 seconds.
Their fortunes changed in the second event of the day, with Abdulai recording a new personal best of 1.80m in the high jump while a struggling Zelinka managed just 1.68m - well below her best of 1.79m.
The heptathlon continues later in the evening with the shot put.