ATHLETICS/World Indoor championships: A decade after winning his first world title Haile Gebrselassie continues to rewrite the rules of greatness. The Ethiopian returned to Birmingham's Indoor Arena, the scene of two of his 16 world records, and over 3,000 metres - hardly his best distance anymore - left trailing many of his so-called rivals. From Ian O'Riordan in Birmingham.
It was a true study of tactics and strategy, those elements that make championship running a class above all other forms of athletics. Gebrselassie sat with typical confidence on the shoulders of the leaders, ready for one decisive move. When Spain's Alberto Garcia made that move he merely opened his stride and waited a while more.
Only approaching the bell lap did he hit the front, and he proceeded to destroy the hopes of those desperately trying to stay with him. The arena's spectators rose in unison as he crossed the line. And this from the athlete who less than a year ago narrowly failed in his bid to break the world marathon record.
Behind Gebrselassie's time of seven minutes, 40.97 seconds came Garcia (7:42.08), and then the Kenyan hope Luke Kipkosgei (7:42.56). In six months' time in Paris the Ethiopian will attempt to win back his World 10,000 metres title, and in this form no athlete on the planet could stop him.
For Britain's great servant of athletics Colin Jackson, the farewell didn't go exactly to plan. At 36 and with 25 major championships already to his name, Jackson was searching for one more, but instead could only manage fifth.
It was Allen Johnson, the American who first threatened Jackson's reign as the king of high hurdles back in 1995, who took the victory in 7.47. Cuba's Anier Garcia took silver, with China's Liu Xiang taking a surprise bronze.
But for Jackson, who clocked 7.61, the reception from the home crowd was nonetheless emphatic.
Back in the distance events, Saturday's 1,500 metres final was typically tactical and, in the absence of Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj, totally unpredictable.
James Nolan had done well to progress after two years of frustration, and in truth ran for a decent place rather than glory. In finishing sixth in 3:44.67 he reckoned his race went as planned.
Still, it was too bad his confidence wasn't greater because the race was anyone's for the taking. Kenya's Bernard Lagat, a 3:26 man and the third fastest in history, made the initial surge for gold but failed to hold off the last lap sprint of Driss Maazouzi, the Moroccan-born Frenchman who at 33 still had the legs for the bunch finish, his time 3:42.59.
For Nolan, who moved from last to sixth on the last lap, the indoor season was always going to be a journey of rediscovery.
"Six months ago I was running like a total crock," he said afterwards, referring to the hip injury that at one point threatened his whole career.
"I'm reasonably pleased with that run because it was pain-free, and I feel like I have a future again."
The $4,000 prize for sixth was another consolation, as was the assurance of another Sports Council grant. The Offaly native will now return to his training base in South Africa for another two months, perhaps more confident than ever that Ray Flynn's long-standing Irish 1,500 metres record can finally fall to him.
Maria Lynch provided the Irish interest in the women's 1,500 metres, but fell well short in Saturday's heats when running 4:21.44.
Yesterday's final was won as expected by Regina Jacobs, the 39-year-old world record holder, in a championship record of 4:01.87. Kelly Holmes of Britain took silver, and so the final day ended without a British gold.
Jonathan Edwards took fourth in the triple jump, behind Christian Olsson of Sweden, meaning that Britain's two sole gold medals went to Marlon Devonish (200 metres) and Ashia Hansen (triple jump).
The sole world record of the weekend - and with it a $50,000 bonus - went to Russian Svetlana Feofanova in the women's pole vault - she cleared 4.80 metres.
So many of the sprint events in Birmingham were extraordinary for the level of disqualification, largely for minor lane infringements. During Friday's opening session 19 athletes were red-carded after their events, and on Saturday morning Ireland's Derval O'Rourke became number 20 after her heat of the women's 60 metre hurdles.
Though taking fifth in 8.20 and qualifying for the semi-finals as a fastest finisher, O'Rourke was deemed to have carried her trail leg over several hurdles in the lane outside her, and with that was disqualified. Several emotional hours followed for the Cork athlete before news came through of her reinstatement, sensibly based on the fact that she received no actual advantage.
Rourke then took sixth in her semi-final in 8.22, ranking her 12th overall.
For Alistair Cragg, meanwhile, the World Indoor Championships had to be by-passed because of his US collegiate commitments at the University of Arkansas, who were competing at the national NCAA Indoor Championships, also held this weekend on their home track.
Yet Cragg once again underlined his exciting potential by winning a rare 3,000/5,000 metres double, and also breaking Mark Carroll's Irish record in the longer event.
First up came the 5,000 title on Friday night, where Cragg clocked 13:28.93 (three seconds off Carroll's best), and he followed that on Saturday with an equally comfortable win over 3,000 metres, clocking 7:55.68.
The Irish team for the World Cross Country in Lausanne in two weeks' time will be finalised later today, and Robert Connolly and Dermot Donnelly are certain of selection after finishing one-two in yesterday's short-course trials in Dunleer.
Anne Keenan Buckley won the women's race, ahead of Scotland's Fiona Murray, with Valerie Vaughan's third place securing her selection.
