{UAH} Some very good performances at the Paris Diamond League Athletics meet

The annual event which gathers athletics celebrities in the French

capital has just ended with a nice pack of  admirable performances.

The weather was so good and a good 60,000 fans answered present

in France's vast and ultra-modern Stade de France which when fully packed

can welcome 90,000 people.

There was an air of deep upset when fans and athletes learnt that world sprint

legend, Usan Bolt wasn't turning up for the event where he is always given a standing ovation

when introduced to the public. Nevertheless the Parisian crowd was overjoyed at a triumphant

second place in the 100 m dash won by France's young and promising Jimmy Vicaut, 23, who

clocked a fantastic 9s 86 to beat the French national record (9s92) and at the same time to just

equal the European record set in 2004 by Portugal's Francis Ekwelu ( of Nigerian origin ). The young

French runner was beaten in second place by Jamaica's Asafu Powell ( 9 s 81 ).

The 3000 steeplechase race proved once again to be a permanent possession of Kenyans who have

8 of the 10 best ever times in the event. This evening Kenyan Jairus Kipchoge Birech took the race in

a glorious 7 m 58 s 83. However an American runner, Evan Jager, who had slipped ahead of him fell

down as he was clearing the the last obstacle just 40 metres before the tape. However he came in second

in a good 8 m 00s 45 and had he not scored this misfortune he would have helped race to beat the world

record ( 7 m 53s 63 ) held by Quatar's Saif Saaeed Shaheen (of Kenyan origin ).

Kenya's Eunice Sum won the 800 m  in a very impressive 1 m 56 s 99

And Jamaica's lady athlete, Shelly-Ann Fraser - Pryce won the women's 100 m in a fabulous 10 s 75.

Cuba's oulando Ortega did marvels at the 110 m men's hurdles which he won in a very excellent 12 s 95.

And Kenyan Silas Kiplagat was a king in the men's 1500 m race, clocking a superb 3 m 30 s 12.

Each one of these will go away with a fattish pack of euros in his pockets. Last year Usan Bolt was awarded

a hefty 500,000 euros. Out of such meetings Kenyans and Ethiopians have managed to collect fortunes that have

enabled them build palatial residences in their highland regions.

In another development, an African has for the first time been selected to participate in the famous Tour de France

bicycle race that was flagged off today in Holland and will run up to mid-August 2015 when it will end its 3600-kilometre-long

route at Paris's famous Avenue des Champs-Elysées where a million spectators will gather to cheer the cyclists. Africa's most

honorable representative for the event will be South Africa's Qhubeka, who did wonders in the bicycle tour of Turkey recently.

He is reported strong and experienced. This tour de France has made many cyclists very rich and very popular. And is watched

physically by millions who line the roads, streets to cheer these sportsmen. France's great statesman, General Charles de Gaulle

could also quit his residence and mingle with the ordinary people to cheer the race whenever it passed close to his country home

residence. In Africa cycling races are in a quite advanced stage in places like south Africa, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso where

international cyclists from all over the world are always welcome in the competition.

G.H.K.