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Athletics News - 22.02. |
Moya victorious in Serbia
NOVI SAD (Feb 22): Third EUROTOP men´s High Jump meet was the place where Cuban Victor Moya earned his second victory in Europe this winter after Bucuresti, Romania. But this one was the tougher because he got it after jump-off. He and Oskari Frosen from Finland had the same sequence of jumps at 220, 224 and 227 at first and because both did not went over 230 this solution was necessary. First at 230 they missed the height and then at 228 Moya (silver medallist from Helsinki 2005 and 4th last year at World Indoors in Moscow) was succesfull. He finished so his european campaign which started on January 20 in Hustopece, Czech Republic with 224. He had in this time in total 9 competitions, the best in Arnstadt with 231 his indoor best. At three other events he jumped 230 cm. He already lost one jump-off in Ostrava with Tomas Janku. Packed hall by 4000 spectators saw a drama and 8 jumpers went over 224 which is a good depth.On the other hand the meet record of Nicola Ciotti 231 from last year remained untouched. The winner got 4000 USD, prize money went to top six jumpers. The event was organised by two excellent jumpers from the past Dragutin Topic and Stevan Zoric.
Results: 1. Moya,CUB 228 (220/1, 224/1, 227/1, 230/xxx, jump off 230/x, 228/1), 2. Frosen,FIN 227, 3. Voronin,RUS 227, 4. Boswell,CAN 227, 5. Prezelj,SLO 224, 6. Palli, ISR 224 indoor PB, 7. Klyugin, RUS 224, 8. N. Ciotti,ITA 224, 9. Djuricic,SER 220
Marion Jones and Obadele Thompson will be together, she is expecting a baby
For the moment no problems for European meet organisers with invitations to Marion Jones. Nationnews.com from Barbados is reporting that Olympic Gold medallist Marion Jones and the sprinter Obadele Thompson (olympic bronze medallist) will have a wedding on Saturday in small church in North Carolina. For Jones it will be already third man in her life after C.J. Hunter and Tim Montgomery. Also according to this report Jones is saying at her website that she is expecting a baby. Her website also states that the ceremony will be private and just family and close friends will be in attendance. Jones is four months older than Thompson and they are together since last year. In 2006 Jones went to Barbados for a brief stay. (http://www.nationnews.com/story/326585669603116.php)
Bekele in Hengelo
HENGELO: The organisers of Hengelo IAAF Grand Prix meet THALES FBK-Games announced this week that Kenenisa Bekele will be the main star of the event on May 26. At the jubilee 25th meet he will contest 2 miles with aim to attack the world best of Daniel Komen (7:58.61 in 1997). It could be his next race after Stockholm this week. In this period of time only World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa could jump in. „There is a posibility that he will go there, but he must do the decision soon, I would say next week,“ said Ellen van Langen from Global Sports Management, agency representing him.
Ottey confirms Birmingham
LJUBLJANA: The Grande Dame of women sprint Merlene Ottey (unbelievable 46 years) will contest in Birmingham her first ever European Indoor Championships. She confirmed that for EME News. Now representing Slovenia she already competed for first time last year at summer European Championships in Goteborg and achieved semifinals at 100 m. This season she lowered the world masters indoor record in category 45+ from 7.54 to 7.30. With her great experience if totally healthy she can come close to the finals. As she always says: „I will continue to run until I will be able to achieve good results.“ Seeing her this years results, she still can. She already competed at Olympic Games when many of her current rivals were not even born.
Teams for Birmingham
Spanish Team for Birmingam (usually the middle distance runners are taking the biggest hopes, but the hurdler Quiňonez could also play a role, on the women side mainly Beitia in High jump with runners should fight for the best placings)
Men 60 m: Rodriguez, Mocholi, 400 m: Ezquerro, Testa, 800 m: Olmedo, Marco, Quesada, 1500 m: Higuero, Casado, Gallardo, 3000 m: Espaňa, Redolat, A. Garcia, 60mH: Quiňonez, Vivancos, TJ: Capellan, SP: Martinez, Peňa, Hep: Contreras
Wom 60 m: Recio, 800 m: M. Martinez, Mas, M. Fuentes-Pila, 1500 m: I. Fuentes-Pila, Desviat, 3000 m: Checa, Z. Fuentes-Pila, 60mH: Alozie, Loureiro, HJ: Beitia, Mendia, Martin-Pozuelo, PV: Agirre, LJ: Montaner, Loureiro, TJ: Castrejana, Sarappio, SP: Quintanal
Italian Team for Birmingham (High Jumper Antoinetta Di Martino and Shot Putter Assunta Legnante are the biggest medal hopes)
Men 60 m: Collio, Donati, 400 m: Barberi, 800 m: Bobbato, 3000 m: Caliandro, HJ: Bettinelli, Campioli, N. Ciotti, LJ and TJ: Donato
Wom 60 m: Graglia, Pistone, 400 m: Reina, 800 m: Dusna, 3000 m: Weissteiner, HJ: Di Martino, SP: Legnante, Rosa
Long Jump European Champion Andrew Howe will decide about his participation on Friday. One place is still open at men´s 60 metres (Cerutti, Verdecchia or Scuderi).
Meetings
After another two important IAAF Permits in Birmingham and Stockholm the scoring of the meetings remain unchanged at the top position. The Stuttgart event is the leader and looks like to remain on that position because from big meets only Chemnitz and Athens are left, Paris with number of events belongs to special meetings.
Current ranking: 1. Stuttgart 36 082, 2. Birmingham 35 721, 3. Boston 35 605, 4. Karlsruhe 35 576, 5. Stockholm 35 517, 6. Moskva 35 329, 7. Dusseldorf 35 055, 8. Valencia 34 915, 9. New Yrk 34 849, 10. Fayetteville 34 749
Previews
Friday
PARIS: New Seat Meet with Yelena Isinbayeva in Pole Vault and Gail Devers in 60 m H and total of 7 events in 1:45 hrs in Bercy Hall should be a new concept favourable concerning the length for tv live transmission. All four sprints will have heats. Other highlights are Cuban Dayron Robles at 60mh, Olusoji Fasuba against Ronald Pognon at 60 m, Godfrey Mokoena against Salim Sdiri (he signed during the week the first athlete contract with new ligue nationale d'athlétisme) in Long Jump, Olympic champion Yelena Slesarenko in High Jump and European Champion Kim Gevaert at 60 m.
CHEMNITZ: Full house (nearly 2000 spectators) is expected at the Erdgas Meet in Chemnitz, the traditional German indoor fixture. Local fans will cheer for European Champion Jan Fitschen at 3000 m (his last race of the indoor season) or Tim Lobinger in Pole Vault. New German 60 m Champion Christian Blum will have tough opposition at 60 metres in Polish Sprinters and South African Morne Nagel who is also planning to run the 200 m race. Internationally the top event is men´s 800 m with World Indoor Champion Wilfred Bungei from Kenya who on Tuesday in Stockholm clocked new world lead. German hurdles champions Thomas Blaschek and Kirsten Bolm should have easy warm-up before Birmingham.
Saturday
ATHENS: The traditional indoor IAAF Permit (last of the indoor season) in Athens will present the currently best long jumper Irving Saladino from Panama. Cuban Dayron Robles is also in the start list at 60 m Hurdles but it will be a tough travel from Paris from the evening before. Ekaterini Thanou is scheduled to run 60 m, world leader Bjorn Otto from Germany is in the pole vault start list. Italian indoor record holder Antoinetta Di Martino should fight against Ruth Beitia from Spain in women´s High Jump.
SPLIT: In Croatian town which will host IAAF World Cup in 2010 a special indoor High Jump meeting for women will be organised. The reason is clear – it is the immense popularity of Blanka Vlasic, one of the best high jumpers in the world. She invited to her hometown such greats like world champion Kajsa Bergqvist from Sweden or European silver medallist and current world leader Venelina Veneva from Bulgaria. Their clash will the last warm-up before European Indoors in Birmingham.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: Sweden, Czech Republic and Slovakia are staging their nationals during the weekend. In Goteborg Stefan Holm will be the headliner as Kajsa Berqgvist goes to Split. But he will have it tough with Linus Thornblad who is also jumping well this winter. Olympic winner Christian Olsson is scheduled for Long Jump. Susanna Kallur will clash with Carolina Kluft at 60m Hurdles. Kluft will also compete in High Jump (Emma Green as favourite) and Shot Put.
At Czech Nationals at „Otakar Jandera Hall“ in Stromovka pole vaults supposed to be the headline event. Specially women´s contest where Pavla Rybova and Katerina Badurova are fighting for the top spot and national record. By the way, Badurova got from her boyfriend high jumper Tomas Janku exactly 465 roses as he promised for her latest national record. Roman Sebrle will test himself at 60mH and in Pole Vault. Some names will be still fighting for Birmingham team places. High jump battle between Janku and Svatoslav Ton should be also interesting.
Slovak Champs in Bratislava will have as top events shot put (Milan Haborak against Mikulas Konopka), long (Jana Veldakova) and triple jump for women (Dana Veldakova against Irina Beskrovnaja) and men´s high jump with latest 230 addition Peter Horak. For 800 m runner Jozef Repcik it will be the last chance to get the qualification for Birmingham.
US SCENE: The USATF Indoor Champs in Boston are this year not a qualification meet for any championships so some top athletes are in Europe or Australia. College season also continues with rest of Conference Championships. Despite this facts some events (Saturday and Sunday) will be very interesting in Reggie Lewis Center. For example shot put battle between Christian Cantwell, Reese Hoffa, Dan Taylor and John Godina. Brian Johnson and Trevell Quinley with this years 8 m marks will fight for the top spot in Long Jump. Athens olympic medallist Matt Hemingway is returning to High Jump scene and his main opponents should be Tora Harris, Adam Shunk, Jamie Nieto and Jesse Williams. Bramlett, Payne, Oliver, Brown and Merritt are the hot names in hurdles sprint. Older generation like Allen Johnson, Dominique Arnold or Terence Trammell is not running indoors. The 400 m race has only 8 entries headed by relay olympic champion Darold Williamson and 400mHurdles world silver medallist 2005 James Carter. In highly anticipated 60 m race world leader Marcus Brunson is the favourite. Alan Webb is the mile top contender and Nicholas Symmonds aims for a double at 800 and mile. On the women side the 60 m race is wide open as no one from the entered runners clocked under 7.20 this season. National record holder Shalane Flanagan is the top entry at 3000 m. Lolo Jones and Danielle Carruthers will fight for the title at 60mhurdles, the entry of Gail Devers (competing on Friday in Paris) remains open. All the current best pole vaulters will compete headed by Jennifer Stuczynski.who might attack again the national record of Stacy Dragila. 25 000 USD are waiting for the winners of VISA Championships series. Currently leading are shot putter Christian Cantwell with 1233 points (21.87 m his result) and Shalane Flanagan 1243 (8:33.25 at 3000 m). Tough to be better specially in women situation – it would need for example 60mHurdles at 7.74 level or pole vault at 496 cm.
CROSS COUNTRY SCENE: Kenyan trials in Nairobi and Ethiopian trials in Addis Ababa will choose the names from two most powerful running countries for the March World Championships in Mombasa, Kenya. In Europe races in Portugal (Albufeira), Italy (San Vitore) and Belgium (Dour) will be the most important.
ATHLETICBET: During this days you can bet on www.athleticbet.com for Novi Sad (today HJ) Paris and Split events
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