Complete results and stories are at the IAAF web site: http://www.iaaf.org/
"Haile Gebrselassie can now claim three Golden League victories - in different events. The rules allow an athlete to compete in either the 3000m, 5000m or 10,000m and Gebrselassie has now won at each distance in Oslo, Rome and Monaco to keep his hopes alive. His victory tonight was crushing. Kenya's Paul Tergat - such a tough competitor of Gebrselassie over 10,000m in World Championships and Olympic Games does not have the tiny Ethiopian's amazing range. Once Gebreselassie had taken off on his own there was no one capable of closing the gap." (IAAF)
Assefa Mezgebu came in third with a personal best of 7:28.45... a breakthrough performance that promises a great future... Daniel Komen, the 3,000 meters record holder refused to compete against Haile and instead finished 9th in the 1,500 meters... Haile needs to win four more times to ensure a share of the million-dollar Golden League prize. The remaining Golden League schedule is:
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Wed, August 12 Fri, August 28 Tue, September 1 Sat, September 5 |
Weltklasse Memorial Van Damme ISTAF 98 IAAF Grand Prix Final |
Zurich Bruxelles Berlin Moscow |
"After three of the six Golden League meetings only five athletes remain in the hunt for the jackpot - El Guerrouj, Gebreselassie, American Bryan Bronson in the men's 400 metre hurdles, Nigeria's Charity Opara in the women's 400m and Marion Jones." (Reuters)
Haile is guaranteed at least $200,000 if he can finish first in his events at the remaining four Golden League events. It is unlikely that Marion Jones (100 meters) or El Guerrouj (1,500 meters) will be defeated in their events, so it is unlikely that the individual payout will exceed $333,000.
To put things in perspective though, Haile probably earns around $100,000 in appearance fees and prize money at every event he attends. So, winning a share of the Golden League prize is not such a big deal for Haile.