5000m the focus, while Wariner confident for 400m in Melbourne - IAAF World Athletics Tour

Craig Mottram winning at the 2006 IAAF WAT meeting in Melbourne (Getty Images)

Melbourne, Australia – Brilliant Ethiopian teenage distance runner Abreham Cherkos Feleke checked into his Australian hotel only at 4am on Wednesday but his manager at least believes he will give home town hero Craig Mottram a great race over 5000m in the Melbourne Grand Prix when the World Athletics Tour of 2008 resumes on Thursday (21) evening.

“He can trouble Mottram, yes, absolutely,” said Italian Federico Rosa. “They have the same time, more or less, at 5000m.”

Focus on the men’s 5000m

In fact the 2005 World Youth champion has a slightly faster time at 12:54.19 which he ran while still aged just 16 for fifth in Rome. Mottram’s Oceania Area record is the 12:55.76 he ran in London in 2004.

The weather forecast for Melbourne is a maximum of 22C, occasional showers and still conditions – not great for the crowd but quite suitable for a good 5000m and Mottram is certainly in shape to deliver something special.