Rijen, March 2, 2008 - Men 1991-1992

This is the left wing of the men of 1991-1992. Frank Futselaar (707) and Olaf Mesman (725) belong to the candidates for a high ranking. Futselaar made 4.10 and 9.04 over 1500 and 3000 metres last Summer, Mesman 4.09 and 9.12. Mesman did also very well in Soest on Old Year's Day, by finishing second behind Jurjen Polderman, the numer one favorite for today.

The young man bended forward is Jesper van der Wielen (706), who was good for 4.07 and 8.56 over 1500 and 3000 metres last outdoor season.

We find Maikel van der Steen (742) on the very right side of this picture. It is the little guy with the yellow shirt and blue short. His best race of this season was in Breda, where he finished 3rd behind Jurjen Polderman and Leon Koch.

Hans Dilling (732) is not an absolute favorite, but definitely a candidate for a high ranking, even though the officials have underrated him with a rather high bib number.

In the center we spot Leon Koch (704), one more candidate for the victory. Last outdoor season, when he was only fifteen, he did very well over 1500 and 3000 metres, running 4.06 and 9.09, respectively. This winter, he did not do so well in cross country, but one good race today could wipe all of that away. A little bit more to his right, we spot Sten van den Thillart (712) and Oussama el Kharraz Alami (718).

On the outside of the right wing, we meet the true favorite Jurjen Polderman (703). Last outdoor season, he made 1.55, 4.01 and 8.53 over 800, 1500, and 3000 metres, at the age of sixteen! Polderman was also victorious in Tilburg in November, not even the Belgians and Germans could stop him there.

The man with the starting gun has obviously underestimated the acceleration of these young men. At only 20 metres from the starting line, we would stay fixed, like the officials and photographers in Tilburg, for instance. It is a race of humans against humans, not of bulls against humans, like in San Sebastian.

This picture proves that the first narrow gate is way to soon after the starting line. If you are in the last rows at this point, after less than 150 metres of race, you are likely to drop at least 100 metres more, and can just as well drop out, go home, and hope to do better on your start in 2009. The IAAF has made several rules and procedures to uphold the principle of equal chances and opportunities, but the officials of 2008 have lots of other things on their minds.

The athletes are on their way back home for the first time, after 700 metres of race. Polderman has taken the lead when the wind blew into his face, and even now, with strong assistance of the elements, none of the others is even thinking about relieving Polderman from his duties.

This shot has been taken after roughly two kilometres of race. The winds are in the backs of the athletes, but the burden of the race is still on the shoulders of Polderman.

Van der Steen has made up a lot of the ground he lost in the early stage of the race, but can he catch up on the last 8 seconds that separate him from the leaders, with Dean Salwegter (719) as the only companion that shows willingness to help him?

This group, with Melvin Franken (752), Wouter Warndorff (714), Juri van Lierop (726), Joeri Spoor (733), and Wouter Timmermans (754) has a deficit of sixteen seconds already.

Julian Berlie (762), Maico Suijkerbuijk (728), Lex Sinnige (708), Vincent Aengevaeren (760), and Bram Haver (729) are looking at a hughe gap of more than half a minute after slightly more than one-third of the race.

We have moved westward and passed the fence that separates the open area from the forest. We just arrive in time to encounter Polderman, Van der Wielen, Mesman, Koch, and Dilling on their way to the first greater loop through the woodlands.

El Kharraz Alami has worked his way to rank six, and lookes well-determined to hold on to it. He has the leaders in sight, only eight seconds ahead of him. He must be surprised by the progress he has made lately. Last summer, he ran 9.32 over 3000 metres. In Tilburg he finished 26th, and in Soest 15th.

Van den Thillart is not willing to surrender, and chasing El Kharraz Alami at only three seconds. Florentijn Proost (734) hopes to stick with him, but is clearly running ot of fuel. Futselaar and Van der Steen are catching up.

Van der Steen is looking quite fit for the amount of labor he has done to reach this rank, but can he make another jump like that in the second half of the race, that is usually a lot harder?

The race is 1800 metres older, and in the last 6½ minutes, Polderman, Van der Wielen, and Mesman have separated from their persecuters.

Dilling is twelve seconds back, but looks pretty content with his maybe unexpected fourth place.

Koch is fifth at only twenty seconds from the leading group. If he keeps this up for only 1 kilometre, he has something to come home with, at last.

Van den Thillart and Van der Steen have swallowed El Kharraz Alami, who is fighting to stay in this fast little bus.

After 4700 metres of race we can introduce Niek den Exter (737) to you. With his pace, he is rendering honors to his bib, that is usually associated with a middle distance aircraft. Timothy Vergauwen (751) and already familiar Franken have boarded on his plane.

Polderman has launched his kick with about a quarter mile to go, but he has still work to do to shake Van der Wielen of for good.

Not until this point can Polderman be certain of his victory. His face tells that it did not come by itself. The gap with Van der Wielen looks larger though than the four seconds on the offical scoresheet, but the timing of our camera, that works with multiples of 2 seconds, gives the same count.

Van der Wielen is certainly happy with his silver medal, but just too tired to show it right now.

Van den Thillart finds his pusuits in the later stages of the race rewarded with rank five, and is proud of it.

El Kharraz Alami has firmly held on to rank six, apparently a lot more than he expected, when he woke up this morning.

Van der Steen wins the sprint for place seven, but is definitely not content. Never mind, his time will come. Den Exter is not exuberant either, but Vergauwen and Franken are glad to have it made to the top-ten.

None of the gladiators of 1991-1992 is more disappointed than Koch at rank nine.

Joeri Wolf (731) has come all the way from the extreme North to take place twelve, just in front of Proost (oo = oa).

Timmermans takes an unexpeted 16th place. He is an athlete of Unitas, the track club from Sittard, that used to rule the Dutch cross country and distances in the 1980's.

Warndorff collects rank seventeen, and checks the accuracy of the large clock above his head.

Melvin Hazeleger (745) and Thijs van Tetering (727) complete the second decade. Van Lierop, one of the leaders in the Limbra tour through the forests east of Eindhoven, reaches the terminal as number 21.

		Men 91-92, 5700 m
1	703	Jurjen Polderman	1991	Clytoneus	20.16
2	706	Jesper van der Wielen	1991	Nijmegen Atletiek	20.20
3	725	Olaf Mesman	1991	PAC	20.45
4	732	Hans Dilling	1992	Seven Hills Running	21.01
5	712	Sten van den Thillart	1991	DAK	21.06
6	718	Oussama el Kharraz Alami	1991	Phanos	21.14
7	742	Maikel van der Steen	1992	Lopersgroep Deurne	21.19
8	737	Niek den Exter	1992	Scheldesport	21.20
9	751	Timothy Vergauwen	1992	Loopteam Ed Sligchers	21.20
10	752	Melvin Franken	1991	Loopteam Ed Sligchers	21.20
11	704	Leon Koch	1992	Almere'81	21.22
12	731	Joeri Wolf	1991	Spirit Lelystad	21.33
13	734	Florentijn Proost	1991	Zuidwal	21.33
14	719	Dean Salwegter	1992	Parthenon	21.37
15	757	Gijs van Rooij	1992	DAK	21.40
16	754	Wouter Timmermans	1991	Unitas	21.59
17	714	Wouter Warndorff	1991	AV Standdaarbuiten	22.03
18	717	Jordi Baars	1992	AV Aalsmeer	22.05
19	745	Melvin Hazeleger	1991	Hellas	22.09
20	727	Thijs van Tetering	1991	Groene Ster	22.11
21	726	Juri van Lierop	1992	't Jasper Sport	22.16
22	768	Milan Stawicki	1992	Gloria	22.20
23	702	Jeroen Habers	1991	De Spartaan	22.20
24	708	Lex Sinnige	1992	AV Weert	22.22
25	744	Laurens Stam	1991	Venray Regio	22.32
26	755	Gertin Roke	1991	ACO Van Elderen	22.42
27	753	Alwin Roovers	1992	Loopteam Ed Sligchers	22.47
28	773	Pieter van Oirschot	1992	General Michaelis	22.50
29	728	Maico Suijkerbuijk	1992	Thor	22.51
30	721	Vincent Maalderink	1991	Hanzesport	22.59
31	707	Frank Futselaar	1991	Ciko'66	23.03
32	739	Tim Bolink	1992	Hellas	23.15
33	760	Vincent Aengevaeren	1991	Nijmegen Atletiek	23.25
34	765	Joey van Thuijl	1992	Atverni	23.38
35	720	Jelmer de Vries	1991	Hanzesport	23.46
36	774	Daan Crombach	1991	General Michaelis	23.53
37	743	Jolan Knol	1991	Venray Regio	23.57
38	722	Emiel Rutgers	1991	AAC'61	24.05
39	705	Carlo Struik	1992	NEA Volharding	24.06
40	758	Sven ten Wolde	1992	't Jasper Sport	24.14
41	762	Julian Berlie	1992	Nijmegen Atletiek	24.18
42	709	Ayoub Benchaabane	1992	Atos	24.28
43	729	Bram Haver	1992	HAC	24.35
44	710	Edwin de Vries	1992	Almere'81	24.36
45	724	Jasper Smits	1992	Pijnenburg	24.42
46	746	Erik vd Heijden	1991	Tilburg Road Runners	24.50
47	700	Chiljen Velvis	1992	Groningen Atletiek	24.51
48	711	Nick Sinnige	1992	AV Castricum	25.00
49	756	Joep van Campfort	1992	Nijmegen Atletiek	25.04
50	715	Krijn Schagen	1992	AV Castricum	25.13
51	738	Robin Loef	1992	Zuidwal	25.14
52	771	Ruben van der Waals	1992	BAV	25.15
53	750	Lars Buit	1992	Energie	25.16
54	748	Imber van Dijk	1992	Oss'78	25.31
55	769	Niels Fliervoet	1992	AV Wijchen	25.59
56	767	Fraol Feleke	1992	KAV Holland	26.15
57	775	Erwin Wamelink	1991	AVA'70	26.20
58	770	Merijn de Klerk	1992	BAV	26.45
59	736	Roy Molenaar	1992	Zuidwal	26.50
60	730	Jeroen Haver	1992	HAC	26.51
61	761	Arjen Vogel	1991	Almere'81	28.40