ATHLETICS: It was fitting that the rain descended on the old Olympic Stadium on the evening of the first 3,000 metres steeplechase final for women. The 12-foot water jumps require just as much courage as in the men's race, but even that wasn't going to stop the young Ugandan Dorcus Inzikuru from making history - and in more ways than one.
She not only becomes the first world champion in the event, Inzikuru also won the first medal of any sort by a Ugandan women. More importantly, she is a worthy champion, front-running her way home in nine minutes, 18.24 seconds, well clear of Russia's Yekaterina Volkova.
Yet Inzikuru comes from the best steeplechase school in the world, coached by the Italian Renato Canova, who has helped turn the former Kenyan Saif Saeed Shaheen into the men's world-record holder.
Jeruto Kiptum did give Kenya some say in the race by taking bronze in 9:26.95, but the other Russian, Yelena Zadorozhnaya (an old rival of Sonia O'Sullivan), could well have made an impact on the medals had she not repeatedly stumbled into the water and ended up sixth.
The light rain had turned into a downpour in time for the women's 100 metres final, but again that didn't stop the American Lauryn Williams from completing her rapid rise to stardom. The 21-year-old improved on her Olympic silver by taking the title in 10.93 seconds, leading more or less from gun to finish line in a thoroughly impressive display.
The Jamaican Veronica Campbell was second in 10.95, but yet again the French hope Christine Arron let her chance slip. The 31-year-old had never medalled in this event before but appeared in fine form in the earlier rounds. In the end she had to be content with bronze in 10.98.
The only Irish interest on the night was provided by Karen Shinkins, whose joy of making the 400 metres semi-finals was quickly turned to disappointment as she finished eighth and last in 52.17 seconds, more than a full second outside her Irish record.
Things weren't helped when she was drawn in the outside lane, with the Olympic champion, Tonique Williams-Darling of the Bahamas, and the world champion, Ana Guevara of Mexico, inside her. Williams-Darling took the win in a season's best of 49.69 just ahead of Guevara. It was a fantastic time given the conditions.
With only the top two of the three semi-finals and two fastest losers set to progress, Shinkins was always going to be up against it, and she admitted that tactically her race fell apart.
"Physically I think I ran the best I could," she said, "but my mind started to trip a little at halfway and that's never a good thing. I started to check on other runners, which is wrong.
"I went in there thinking if I ran a personal best of 51.07 then maybe there was a place in the final. But the race was stacked.
"Still, I'm just about satisfied. My confidence has come back again this summer, and I think I can come out next year and be a serious threat again."
While Shinkins can at least leave Helsinki with the satisfaction of having progressed beyond the first round, Paul Hession took one look at the heats for today's 200 metres and realised his championships could be over in around 20 seconds.
Hession goes in the sixth of eight heats, knowing that his season's best of 20.89 seconds leaves him the slowest man in the field.
The only consolation was that he got a good lane draw (lane four) and avoided America's 100-metre champion, Justin Gatlin, who is intent on winning a sprint double.
Derval O'Rourke is the only other Irish athlete in action today, lining up in this evening's 100 metres hurdles, drawn in the third of six heats. Her season's best of 13.97 seconds suggests qualification is within her reach.
One athlete to watch out for is Perdita Felicien of Canada, the defending champion who sometimes prefers to crash into the hurdles rather than clear them.
TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS (All times Irish) - 9:35: 100m Decathlon. 9:45: Javelin Qualification (Men). 10:10: Pole Vault Qualification (Men). 10:20: 200m 1st round (Men, Paul Hession, heat 6). 10:40: Long Jump Decathlon. 11:40: 400m Round 1 (Men). 12:15: Long Jump Qualification (Women). 4:30: High Jump Decathlon. 4:35 Discus Final (Women). 4:40: 100m Hurdles Round 1 (Derval O'Rourke, heat 3). 5:25: 200m 2nd round (Men). 6:00: 3,000m Steeplechase Final. 6:15: Triple Jump Qualification (Men). 6:25: 800m Final (Women). 6:45: 400m Decathlon. 7:25: 400m Hurdles Final (Men).
