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Athletics News - 04.03. |
EUROPEAN INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 29th European Indoor Championships are in history – there was no world or european record, but 9 world leading and another four european best marks of the season. Medal order winner was Great Britian, placings table was won as expected by Russia. World indoor is next year in Valencia and European indoors 2009 in Torino. Great crowds a smooth competition organisation made this championship one of the best.
SUNDAY IN BIRMINGHAM:
Roman Sebrle fulfilled the favourite role and despite beeing worst than Aleksandr Pogorelov in both first events of Sunday he used his running advantage to secure the third european indoor title in a row. His final score 6196 was a new world lead. It was his 23rd indoor heptathlon of career and 17th with 6000+ score. Pogorelov was worthy second 6127 and former world junior champion Andrei Krauchanka from Belarus got his first 6000 score (6090).
„It went according my plan, I did not lost too much points in pole vault. The only really event which did not satisfied me was the High jump. My main goal for the season is of course Osaka,“ said Sebrle who achieved his third title in a row.
Spanish record and european lead was the sensational outcome of women´s triple jump final. Long legs of Carlotta Castrejana the former basketball player achieved in third round massive 14.64. Former hurdler Olesya Bufalova saved the silver in fifth round with best of 14.50. The biggest sensation of this event was Teresa Nzola from France who came into the competition with 13.97 from last year and exploded with four over 14.20 efforts. The best 14.49 was new french record. Seventh place worth of 14.03 was unexpected depth of quality.
Sunday was an Italian day which started with shot put win by lists leader Assunta Legnante. Her throws 18.71 and 18.92 were enough for gold. Last time in 1970 (!) a worse result was enough for win. Russians took the rest of podium places – Irina Khudoroshkina and Olga Ryabinkina (18,50 and 18.16).
Later European Champion Andrew Howe destroyed the long jump field in fifth round 8.30, new national record and european lead. He missed the world lead of Saladino only by 1 cm. Other favourites got the rest of the medals. Louis Tsatoumas for Greece (802) and Salim Sdiri for France (800).
Lidia Chojecka won her second gold medal also at 3000 m and became the first female to win both this events at European Indoor Champs. It was a fery fast race as top 5 went under 8:50. European outdoor Champion Marta Dominguez was second for Spain surprise bronze went to Italy for Silvia Weissteiner as she achieved new national record 8:44.71. Chojecka´s time after two races at 1500 m very respectable 8:43.25.
Spaniards controlled the situation at 1500 m – they got the full podium (Higuero, Gallardo and Casado) what never so far happened . It was an typical slow championships final with winning time 3:44.41.
Russian champion Oksana Zbrozhek won the 800 m in solid 1:59.23 before Ukrainian world leader Tatyana Petlyuk (1:59.84) and world indoor record holder Jolanda Ceplak who came after injury and surgery break and was satisfied with bronze.
Men´s race ended as expected by list leading perfomer Arnaud Okken from Netherlands saving his position (1:47.92) and beeing 0.06 quicker than Miguel Quesada from Spain. Unexpected bronze for Italian Maurizio Bobbato in personal best 1:48.71 by milimeters before Luis Albert Marco and Mattias Claesson who both were just 0.01 behind.
European Champion Kim Gevaert from Belgium was not as fast as in semis but got her title in 7.12 clearly before Russian champion Yevgeniya Polyakova (7.18), new best by Daria Onysko from Poland (7.20) made for her the unexpected bronze. List leader before Birmingham world junior champion Naimova from Bulgaria was fifth and former european champion Thanou from Greece sixth. „I was nervous and had a bad start, it is my third indoor title,“ said the Belgian.
Svetlana Feofanova and Yulia Golubchikova well replaced world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva as they went top two in women´s pole vault. Golubchikova jumped new best 471 in second and was leading. Feofanova had two misses at this height and saved the last try for 476. Her risky game was succesfull. Anna Rogowska was third with 466 cm and former champion (2000) Pavla Rybova from Czech Republic fourth.
Swedish high jumper controlled the competition and Stefan Holm succesfully retained his title from Madrid. This time 240 was not needed, he went over 234 and that was enough. Linus Thornblad got 232 and surprise was the bronze for local jumper Martyn Bernard who did 229 cm. Czech favourite Tomas Janku needed to stop the competition due to hamstring injury.
At the end the best for local crowds as Jason Gardener got his 4th european title at 60 m in european leading time 6.51. Craig Pickering was well behind but still got great silver 6,59 ahead fast closing european record holder Ronald Pognon from France (6.60). „I m back in business,“ said happy Gardener.
Final relays were full of drama. Belarus women won after great anchor leg by Ilona Usovich and achieved new world lead, championships and national records 3:27.83. Only silver for traditional winners from Russia and bronze for home team rewarded also by national record.
Men relay had even more dramatic outcome as Germany was the first at finish line. But anchorman Bastian Swilliams caused that Russia´s Sergeyenkov nearly felt down. At the end Germans were disqualified and title went to local team, Russia got silver and Poland bronze. Swillims: „I do not know what happened. I was trying to go around, maybe I hit him.“
OTHER NEWS
SAN VITTORE (ITA, IAAF Permit CC): Ukrainian sixtime European Champion won the 75th classical CC race in San Vitore Olona in Italy in close finish over Kenyan Robert Kipchumba. Last year world list leader at 1500 m Maryam Jamal from Bahrain won the women´s race by 8 seconds before Zhor El Kamch from Morrocco.
OHTSU (JAP): Lake Biwa Marathon (62nd annual) winner is Samson Ramadhani from Tansania with 2:10:43. Second place went to Kenyan favourite William Kiplagat (2:10:47) and third to Ambesse Tolosa from Ethiopia (2:11:15).
SANTA EULALIA (ESP, Ibiza): Spanish walking championships confirmed great shape of champions. Francisco Fernandez got the 20 km in 1:19:52 and Jesus Angel Garcia the 50 km in 3:52:22. Maria Jose Poves was women 20 km winner in 1:33:14 as the main favourite Maria Vasco did not finished duje to injury.
US action
BLACKSBURG: At Virginia Last Chance meet Travis Padgett got a nice 55 m win in 6.17 and Michael Bingham a very solid 400 m 46.39.
NOTRE DAME: Wilson Invitational was highlighted by Tabia Charles who achieved new national record 14.02 m. Aaron Buzard went at oversized track to 46.43 at 400 m and Jeff Porter clocked 7.70 at 60 m Hurdles.
LOS ANGELES: UCLA outdoor invitational long jump winner and world junior champion 2006 Rhonda Watkins from Trinidad and Trobago registered a new best 664 (-0.3).
ORLANDO: Very fast sprinting at Central Florida Opener. Ernest Wiggins sped against (-1.5) a strong wind to 10.16 at 100 m, Linnie Yarbrough got a sensational best at 110mH 13.33 (+1.6). Even bigger sensation happened in women´s 100 m as 26 years old Nicole Whitman sped to 11.12 (+1.3) at 100 m. Her best so far was 11.55 and she was more known as triple jumper. It is a superbig improvement, the official results are confirming unless saying it. More interestingly the report says it was cold and windy.
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Alfons Juck
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