Post-Zatopek: A Column By Len Johnson

By Len Johnson.

It’s easy to get too sentimental about the annual Zatopek 10,000s _ what distance running fan doesn’t come away from a meeting built around distance races with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

But there was much to excite at the 2009 Zatopek, starting with two close, competitive and moderately fast 10k races. Four years ago, in Melbourne, on the MCG for heaven’s sake, we did not have a male 10,000 metres representative in a home Commonwealth Games, and a place went begging in the women’s, but this year’s Zatopek results indicated Australia could have full representation in both in Delhi next October.

There were good races outside the big ones, too. Too often recently, the U20 men’s 3000 has gone out as a tactical affair, with the runners showing winning ambition at the expense of just plain ambition. But this year Ryan Gregson, helped by his mate Kevin Batt, went out chasing a sub-8 minute performance.

2009 Zatopek Men's U20 3000m Video

Not only that, but James Nipperess, clung resolutely to the leading pair and gave Gregson a real race for it over the last three laps. Gregson confirmed his talent, winning in 8:02.56 for his first victory in the ‘de Castella’ after several attempts; Nipperess was rewarded with a ‘pb’ 8:06.11.

This was the junior men’s race as it used to be: fast from the gun and a survival of the fittest _ and best.

In terms of personal bests, the women’s Zatopek was a huge success. The first eight women all ran faster than they ever had, and seven of those eight by margins between one and two-and-a-half minutes. The men’s race was scarcely less prolific _ of the first seven Australians, five ran personal bests.

Womens Zatopek 2009 10000m Video

Indeed, for depth, both races ranked with pretty well any in Zatopek history. No women’s race has seen a fifth place (Nikki Chapple; 32:29.92) as fast; or a sixth, seventh and eighth, for that matter, and all the first eight were Australians.

Six men ran under 28:50 (five of them sub-28:30). Only one race _ the 1986 edition where 13 men ran under 29 minutes; 11 of them faster than 28:35) _ has been significantly deeper.

Men's Zatopek 2009 10000m  Video

The pointy end was where both 2009 races lacked something. In the 1991 women’s race, widely regarded as the best in women’s Zatopek history, Carolyn Schuwalow won in 31:54.95, Jenny Lund was second in 31:56.35, Susan Hobson third in 32:05.42 and Krishna Stanton fourth in 32:17.57. The first four this year were Eloise Wellings (32:19.08), Lisa Weightman (32:20.14), Lara Tamsett (32:20.39) and Rebecca Lowe (32:24.70).

Other races near to this year’s standard were 1997 (Natalie Harvey 32:21.58, Kylie Risk 32:22.33, Clair Fearnley 32:24.17), 1998 (Harvey 32:20.58, Kerryn McCann 32:23.79, Risk 32:33.18) and 1987 (Lisa Ondieki 32:22.56, Jackie Perkins 32:23.26.34, Schuwalow 32:31.00). Substantially faster winning times include Susie Power (31:26.34, the race record, in 2001; 31:58.43 in 2002), Haley McGregor (31:43.14 in 2003) and Ondieki (31:47.11 in 1994).

Turning to the men, Andrew Lloyd won the deep 1986 race in 28:07.51, from Peter Brett (28:11.25) and Danny Boltz (28:15.00). Steve Moneghetti was eighth in 28:25.29 and Malcolm Norwood 11^th in 28:33.38. This year, Collis Birmingham won in 28:04.14 from Ben St Lawrence (big ‘pb’ of 28:05.73), Michael Shelley (28:13.13) and Jeff Hunt (another big ‘pb’ of 28:19.39). Martin Dent _ fifth in 28:28.70; another ‘pb’ _ was the only other man under 28:30, with Liam Adams sixth in 28:48.96 (yet another ‘pb’).

Looking at bigger men’s races, well you can’t go past Ron Clarke’s world record 28:15.6 in the 1963 race, not even if second place and third places (Ron Ward and present day coach Tom Kelly) were over three minutes behind.

Then there was the 1996 race (won by Luke Kipkosgei of Kenya in 27:26.12) in which Shaun Creighton (27:31.92) and Darren Wilson (27:37.00) both finally broke Clarke’s long-standing Australian record of 27:39.4.

The Zatopek also saw Australia’s first sub-28 when Gerard Barrett ran 27:51.4 in 1978, to beat Steve Austin (28:07.8) and Bill Scott (28:20.2) _ a handy first three; and three consecutive sub-27:30 wins by Luke Kipkosgei _ 27:26.12 in 1996, 27:29.44 in 1997 and the race record, 27:22.54, in 1998. Steve Moneghetti’s four straight wins from 1989 to 1992 were a career highlight for a runner more closely identified with the Zatopek 10 than any other.

The 2009 meeting had a lot to live up to, but with five still in contention at the bell in the women’s race and four possible winners with two laps to go in the men’s, it provided a memorable night. And the runners of 2009 are still making their own history.