Nine Algerian athletes to participate in IAAF World Championships in Osaka

[Al-khiyal]

August 5, 2007 -- Nine Algerian have met the qualification requirements to take part at the 11th International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Athletics Championships set for August 25th-September 2nd in Osaka, Japan, El Watan and Le Soir d’Algérie reported. Algeria will be represented by Tarek Boukensa, Kamel Boulahfane and Antar Zerguelaine in the men’s 1,550m, Issam Nima in the men’s long jump, Khoudir Aggoune in the 5,000m, Nabil Madi in the 800 m, Rabie Mekhloufi in the 3,000m steeplechase and Nabil Benkrama and Souad Aït Salem in the marathon.

Nine Algerian athletes to participate in IAAF World Championships in Osaka

[Al-khiyal]

Départ aujourd’hui de la délégation algérienne

[Al-khiyal]

Osaka (Japan), August 25, 2007 (APS) - Algerian athletes Tarek Boukensa and Antar Zerguelaine have qualified Saturday in Osaka (Japan) for the men's 1500m semi-finals of the World Athletics Championships, while managing 4th and 5th positions in their respective heats.

Competing in the third heat, Boukensa finished 4th in 3:41.71, far from the time he achieved this year (3:30.92). The top seed has been Spanish racer Artur Casado (3:41.33). His team mate Antar Zerguelaine was fifth in the first heat clocking 3:40.97. The performance he achieved in 2007 was 3:34.32, while his personal time is 3:31.95.

His heat's race was won by the Kenyan Asbel Kiprop (3:40.65), the 1500m winner in the 9th All Africa Games that took place in Algiers, last July.

On the other hand, Kamal Boulahfane, the third Algerian to compete in the 1500m heats, was eliminated and ranked in 12th position of the second heat. Boulahfane ran in 3:43.88, far behind the event's winner, the French Baala (3:38.65) and the Bahraini Rashed Ramzi (3:38.72), two final favourites besides Kenyan Ashel Kiprop.

In Monday's semi-finals, Algerians Boukenaa and Zerguelaine will be put to a severe test. Boukensa will contest the first heat along with well-renowned racers, including Mehdi Baala, Asbel Kirpop, Moroccan Mohamed Mestaoui and Bernard Lagat (USA).

In the second heat, Antar Zerguelaine will be in a line with Bahraini Rashid Ramzi, Saudi Mohamed Shaween and Kenyan Kibet Korir Shedrach.

In world championships, the 1500m men event has been under Maghreb athletes' control since 1991, with three successive victories by Algerian Noureddine Morceli before the torch was taken up by Moroccan El Guerrouj, four times world champion, in addition to the 2005 victory of Ramzi, of Moroccan origin.

Osaka World Championships: Two Algerians through to 1500m semi-finals

[Al-khiyal]

Boukenza et Zerguelaine en finale du 1500m

Boukenza and Zerguelaine in 1500 m final race

[Al-khiyal]

Boukenza et Zerguelaine terminent 5ème et 6ème

No medals for Boukenza and Zerguelaine

[Al-khiyal]

Algiers, August 29, 2007 (APS) - Algerians Tarek Boukensa and Antar Zerguelaine managed respectively 5th and 6th spots in the1500m final of the World Athletics Championships contested Wednesday in Osaka. Boukensa clocked 3:35.26, with his team mate Zerguelaine a few hundredths of a second behind (3:35.29), far away from the day's podium finishers, namely Kenyan-born American Bernard Lagat (3:34.77), Bahraini Rashid Ramzi (3:35.00) and Kenyan Shadrack Korir (3:35.04). Both Algerian athletes had qualified Monday for the final, being ranked 2nd in their heats. Boukensa held the 2nd position in 3:42.88, whereas Antar Zerguelaine was the second in 3:40.79.

The Maghreb supremacy in the 1500m during the World Championship was over Wednesday in Osaka, in the final of the 11th world championship in athletics since the American athlete, originally from Kenya, Bernard Lagat took the first World title. He was waiting for this moment for ten years.

In the world chamionship, the men’s 1500m was for long (1991), under the control of the Maghreb, with three victories in a row for Algerian Noureddine Morceli, whose the torch was taken up by Moroccan El Guerrouj, four-time World champion, and finally the victory achieved in 2005 by Ramzi, originally from Morocco.

Osaka World Championship-1500m: Honourable performance by Algeria's finalists

[Al-khiyal]

Samedi 1 septembre 2007 -- L’athlète algérien Nabil Madi n’a pu passer le cap des demi-finales, puisqu’il s’est fait éliminer hier, à ce stade de la compétition, dans l’épreuve du 800 mètres lors des Mondiaux d’Osaka. Madi a terminé sa course, dans la deuxième série, à la 4e place, avec un temps de 1:45.59.

L’Algérien est arrivé derrière le Canadien Gary Reed (1er avec 1:44.92), le Marocain Amine Laâlou (2e avec 1:45.11) et le Russe Dmitriy Bogdanov (3e avec 1:45.36). Pour se qualifier en finale, il fallait que Madi arrache l’une des deux premières places ou réalise l’un des deux meilleurs temps.

Ce qui n’a pas été le cas. Pour rappel, la veille lors du premier tour, Madi, qui a couru dans la 2e série également, a franchi la ligne d’arrivée en seconde position avec un temps de 1:46.02, non loin du premier de la série, le Canadien Gary Reed.

La troisième place était revenue au Kényan Justus Koech. Le premier tour avait connu le déroulement de six séries. Les trois premiers se sont qualifiés, en plus de ceux ayant réalisé les six meilleurs temps. Les deux premiers des trois séries, en plus des deux meilleurs temps, seront qualifiés en finale.

Pour sa part, Khoudir Aggoun, qui avait pris part au 5 000 mètres, n’a pas pu se qualifier, jeudi dernier, pour la finale, prévue demain, dernier jour des Mondiaux d’Osaka. Khoudir, engagé dans la première série, s’est contenté d’une 6e place avec 13:47.43, temps qui ne lui a pas permis de disputer la finale, les meilleurs temps ayant été réalisés lors de la seconde série.

La série à laquelle a pris part Khoudir Aggoun a été remportée par l’Ethiopien Tariku Bekele (13:46.42), suivi de l’Espagnol Jesus Espana (13:46.45) et de l’Américain Bernard Lagat (13:46.57). Ce dernier est du reste le champion du monde du 1500 mètres.

Mondiaux d’athlétisme d’Osaka : Madi et Aggoun éliminés