Kenya Let Us Get A Medal

The first big storyline of the IAAF World Championships turned out to be the Kenyan women, as that country produced not one, but two, distance sweeps — first in the marathon and then in the 10,000-meter run.

Edna Kiplagat, Priscah Jeptoo and Sharon Cherop caused Kenyan euphoria (see bottom of story) by finishing 1-2-3 in the women's marathon, the kickoff event in Daegu in the morning, and Vivian Cheruiyot, Sally Kipyego and Linet Masai did the same in the evening's 10k.

Kiplagat won in 2:28:43, 17 seconds ahead of Jeptoo and 31 in front of Cherop. Columbia University graduate Lisa Stublic, running for Croatia, was 27th overall (2:36:41). The only American in front of Stublic was Tera Moody in 17th (2:32:04).

Cheruiyot ran a particularly speedy final lap to claim victory in 30:48.98 followed by Kipyego in 30:50.04. The first American across was the line was early leader Shalane Flanagan (31:25.57) while Liverpool, N.Y., native Jen Rhines was ninth (31:47.59) and Queens-born Kara Goucher 13th (32:29.58).

Columbia wasn't the only New York City university represented in the opening evening as Liberia's Phobay Kutu-Akoi, who ran for St. John's, was the second-fastest runner in the preliminary round of the women's 100-meter dash. Kutu-Akoi's 11.62 was behind only Cameroon's Delphine Atangana (11.57). The runners with the fastest entry times did not run in the preliminary rounds.

Yet other local college products — Aliann Pompey of Manhattan College, Julius Mutekanga of Long Island University and Michael Mai of the U.S. Military Academy — did not advance to subsequent rounds.

Pompey, who works with Armory College Prep and represents Guyana, ran 53.59 in the 400-meter dash. All four Americans — Sanya Richards-Ross (51.37), Allyson "Seabiscuit" Felix (51.45), Francena McCorory (52.18) and Jessica Beard (52.40) — were qualifiers for the semifinals. Those four — each a veteran of The Armory — earned automatic advancement with a top-four finish, but only Richards-Ross won her heat.

In the men's 800-meter run Mutekanga finished his two laps in 1:47.54. Kenyan and world recordholder David Rudisha was among the heat winners along with American Nick Symmonds. Khadevis Robinson of the U.S. also advanced, despite the slowest qualifying time in the round. A third American, Charles Jock, did not advance. Neither Mai nor fellow American Kibwe Johnson (of New York AC) advanced in the hammer.

Jamaica world recordholder Usain Bolt made his Worlds' debut in the first round of the 100 meters and his time of 10.11 didn't tell the story. The NBC Universal announcers called his performance "ridiculous" and said that he'd left his "competitors for dead" as he blazed to a huge lead within 25 meters and jogged home for the last 20 meters.

Bolt was one of four Jamaicans to win heats in advancement as Yohan Blake (10.12), Nesta Carter (10.26) and Michael Frater (10.26) each moved through. All three Americans — Walter Dix (10.25), Trell Kimmons (10.32) and Brooklyn-born Justin Gatlin (10.31) — also made the semifinals. The non-Jamaican heat winners were Dix, Kim Collins of St. Kitts & St. Nevis (10.13) and Christopher Lemaitre of France (10.14).

With an easy win in the concluding 400-meter run, American decathlete Ashton Eaton took a 53-point lead over countryman Trey Hardee after the first day of competition. Eaton — who has 4,446 points — racked up 900-plus in the 100m dash, the long jump and the 400m dash.

Defending world champ Brittney Reese needed a big long jump in her final attempt just to advance to the finals, but she got it as the U.S. will send three leapers — Janay DeLoach and Funmi Jimoh the others — in a chase for gold.

Other notable advancers include Americans Stephanie Brown Trafton (discus) and Emma Coburn (steeplechase) as well as three pole vaulters — Jeremy Scott and Derek Miles of the U.S. and Renaud Lavillenie of France. The Frenchman holds the pole vault record at The Armory.