MADRID, 26 February 2005 — Kenya’s Daniel Kipchirchir produced an authoritative piece of front-running to win the 1,500 meters ahead of local favorite Reyes Estevez in the Madrid indoor athletics meeting on Thursday.
Kipchirchir, who posted the season’s leading mark of three minutes 33.08 seconds in Karlsruhe earlier this month, romped home ahead of the Spaniard in a time of 3:34.59 at the city’s newly inaugurated indoor arena which will host next week’s European championships.
World and Olympic long jump champion Dwight Phillips decided to work on his speed by entering the 60 meters and was rewarded with an unexpected victory over Athens 100 meters silver medalist Francis Obikwelu of Portugal in a personal best of 6.47 seconds.
Dmitry Bogdanov of Russia was another comfortable winner in the men’s 800, cruising home five meters ahead of Spain’s Antonio Reina and Wilfred Bungei of Kenya in a modest time of 1:47.48.
In the women’s events, former Olympic 800 champion Maria Mutola of Mozambique stepped up to compete in the 1,000 meters where she eased her way to victory over Maite Martinez, who set a Spanish record in second.
Elena Iagar of Romania won the 1,500 ahead of Lidia Chojecka of Poland clocking a personal best of 4:06.52, while Olesia Kranomovets of Russia set a meeting record to hold off Natalia Pyhyda of Ukraine to for victory in the 400 meters in 51.56.
There were a several notable local victories to cheer the small crowd at the Palacio de Deportes.
Joan Lino Martinez, who won a bronze in Athens last year, took victory in the long jump in the absence of American Phillips.
Former world indoor champion Manuel Martinez won the shot with a put of 20.51 meters.
Glory Alozie snatched victory in the 60 meters hurdles ahead of Jamaican pair Michelle Freeman and Vonette Dixon, and Ruth Beitia won the high jump with a clearance of 1.96 meters.
