Abdel smashes personnel best

ABDEL Laadjel ran a brilliant personal best in the John Terrier Indoor Classic at Boston University on Friday evening.

Running in the second heat of the 5,000m, Donore’s Laadjel was always to the fore and was paced through the opening three kilometres by Oisin O’Gailin – a Finn Valley AC athlete who had earlier run 3.59.07 in the One-Mile race.

The leaders were churning out laps in 33 seconds and formed a front group of four.

When O’Gailin completed his pace-making duty, the 19 years-old Providence College student then took up the running with Eldad Mulugeta and Abraham Longosiwa in close pursuit.

Both Mulugeta and Longosisa passed Laadjel with about 500 metres remaining, but the Donore Harriers athlete continued to run strongly and closed with a 30.54 last lap to cross the line in 30.50.03.

This was the first time for Laadjel to break the 14-minutes barriers, having previous 5,000m best of 14.02.94 (outdoors) and 14.12.73 (indoors) – both set last year.

Abdel said afterwards: “That was a big step forward.

“I ran a 30-seconds last lap, but they had more wheels than me”.

For sure, Laadjel was racing in good company!

Mulugeta is viewed as one of the most improved and exciting American talents, whilst Longosiwa was 2nd in the Kenyan 10,000m championships and 3rd in the African championships over the same distance last year.

He has a 10,000m best of 28.35.01. Abdel’s time was just over a second shy of the National Under 23 indoor record set by Limerick’s Frank Hanley (13.48.70) at Indianapolis in March 1992.