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Athletics News - 22.03.

MOMBASA: As East African Standard informs Canal France International (CFI) and Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) are now the official broadcasters of this year's World Cross Country Championships. NTV and French company Globe Cast were initially granted the rights to broadcast the event. However, Local Organising Committee CEO Isaac Kalua said the deal was reversed last year in Monaco after proving very expensive. He said Sports minister Maina Kamanda initiated the changes after persuading the IAAF on the same. Around the jubilee 35th championships will be not only Council Meeting on March 27 with the vote for World Championships hosts 2011 and 2013 but also cross country and road races committee, IAAF advisory committee board meeting and the world body's development committee meeting. Legendary John Ngugi expressed his views about the course: „I have run all over the world but the course in Mombasa is unique and will be a very fast one," he said. "There are no muddy conditions and no hills making it very good for the athletes." Considering the humidity in Mombasa, with the temperatures rising up to 34 degrees, Ngugi said the athletes would be up for a major test of endurance. He is confident the Kenyan team, which has been at the Kigari Teachers Training College in Embu, will have a huge chance in Mombasa and he does not expect the humidity to affect the athletes. "The altitude in Embu, at over 5,000 metres above sea level, has helped expand the athletes' lungs and they will be riding high once they come to Mombasa which is at sea level," he said. The Kenyan team is due to arrive in Mombasa on Thursday and according to their coaches, they are supposed to remain at room temperature to avoid being affected by the humidity. Kenyan government will reward medallists with Sh300,000 (around 3300 E), Sh200,000 and Sh150,000 for gold, silver and bronze medallists, the first time in cross country running. For the event the forecast is 33-35 degrees. Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairman Isaiah Kiplagat said there would be a rehearsal today for the starting and closing ceremony. This will include the playing of national anthems, hoisting of flags and medal ceremony presentations. Several dignitaries are expected to attend Saturday's championships led by President Mwai Kibaki and IAAF president Lamine Diack. The two had a meeting on Wednesday at State House and IAAF will have the official pre-event press conference on Friday. Athletes to attend should be Kenenisa Bekele, Moses Mosop, Lornah Kiplagat and Pamela Chepchumba. The World cross-country Championships' main press centre was set up at the Voyager Hotel with 10 internet work stations to serve the local and foreign media for the next week. But the biggest challenge is whether the centre, will work on race day and especially on the Mombasa Golf Course where the media sub centre will be based. Note to Elvan Abeylegesse, as Mark Butler reports she already competed at World CC Champs but that was in time when she was still representing Ethiopia under the name Hewan Abeye. She was 9th in junior category in 1999, then 90th in short course in 2000 and 22nd as junior in 2001. You can also bet on winners in senior categories at www.athleticbet.com Bids 2011 and 2013 MOSCOW: The delegation will be headed by vice-mayor of Moscow’ Valeriy Vinogradov and finally the attendance of famous pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva has been confirmed. The strong points of the bid should be the complexity of infrastructure of Luzhniki Complex with Olympic Stadium as the main part. Support of federal government and Moscow’ government are also very powerful. Also the strength of Russian athletics and number of world class athletes should be a very important factor. DAEGU: The korean bid for both editions of Championships is supported by Manchester United star midfielder Ji Sung Park. At the website of the bid is stated that also Golf star Michelle Wie, gold medal winning hurdler Liu Xiang, former American 110m hurdles world champion Allen Johnson and 100m gold medalist Lauryn Williams have already backed Daegu’s bid. Walking Challenge SHENZHEN: For the weekend IAAF Race Walking Challenge event in China, Spain is sending its top athletes - double European Champion Francisco Fernandez for 20 km and former world champion Jesus Angel Garcia for 50 km race. The shorter race will be held on Saturday and the walk marathon on Sunday. Olympic Champion Ivano Brugnetti from Italy will also come. Unfortunately another top walker of „squadra azzura“ Alex Schwazer will not travel due to health problems. Meetings OSTRAVA: Czech leg of World Athletics Tour in Ostrava on June 27 (46th Golden Spike) announced participation of two number one ranked athletes in the world. US Shot Putter Christian Cantwell will make his european summer debut in Ostrava and hopes to break the meet record of Remigius Machura (21.64) achieved back in 1987. Kenyan steeplechaser Paul Kipsiele Koech will return to the meet where he was last year clearly leading but the bell was ringing one lap earlier and he was later disqualifed for missing one barrier. He hopes this time the judges will be more precise and he will be able to attack the meet record 8:06.14 by Wilson Boit Kipketer in 2002. Ostrava moved its date to end of June to try to have better weather as in last two editions very cold and rainy weather affected the results of athletes. HENGELO: Thales FBK Games in Hengelo to be held also as part of IAAF World Athletics Tour on May 26 announced two fresh Belgian european champions from Birmingham to compete. Sprint queen Kim Gevaert for 100 m and high jumper Tia Hellebaut will be for sure the stars of the 25th jubilee meet. Prague Half-marathon ready, Ivuti looking for sub one hour time PRAHA: Saturdays 9th Hervis Prague Half-Marathon wants fast times. The course was changed to a more smoother one and a plus on time is calculated at least at 30 seconds. Kenyan Patrick Ivuti has a best of 59:31 and is looking forward to a fast time. „I am in good shape. If pacemakers will keep 2:50 for each km I think it is possible to break one hour. The only thing which I am not very happy is the cold weather in Praha,“ said Ivuti at Thursday´s press conference. The World CC silver medallist from 2003 and 4th placer from Sydney Olympics at 10 000 m is aiming to break the event record 1:01:07 by Silas Kirui from Kenya in 2005. He is in preparation for Rotterdam Marathon. In total 6 entered runners have sub 1:01 best times and 10 sub 1:02. Interesting also second half marathon of the career of Ismael Kirui the former track world champion at 5000 m (1993 and 1995). The organisers are even speaking about world record attack. The target is Samuel Wanjiru´s global mark just week before in Haag, Netherlands 58:35. Women event record holder Caroline Kwambai (1:10:08 in 2006) is competing again. Her main rival could be Russian Liliya Shobukhova, the silver medallist from last World Indoors in Moscow’ at 3000 m and former world record holder (still European record holder) who is debuting at the distance. Her longest race known is a 10 km road back in 2001 (33:11). The organisers limited the participation to 6000 and are expecting a 5500-5800 runners to take part. The event will be live transmitted by Czech television. For World record 60 000 E bonus is offered, under 59:30 could earn 25 000, under one hour 15 000, under 60:30 5000, for new event record 3000 E. Women´s new event record is worth of 2000 E. Positions prize money has a budget of 10 000 E for men (winner 3500 E) and 5200 E for women (winner 2000 E). One more from Prague: Olympic bid is confirmed PRAHA: The city authorities approved today (Thursday) the olympic bid of czech capitol. Praha will try to organise the Olympic Games in 2016. Mayor Pavel Bem is realistic: „We know that it will be difficult after 2012 when an european city will host the games. But we want to try and gain the necessary experience for next editions in 2020 and 2024. This is a special day for our sporting history. So far we only had talks and discussions. Now it starts to be real and serious.“ The executive chief of the bid is Tomas Petera former meeting director of Ostrava Golden Spike: „Finally we are on starting place, but we know it is a race on a long distance.“ Former Czecho-Slovakia was considering bidding for Winter Olympic Games in 1984 in High Tatras, after split of both countries Slovakia was bidding twice for winter games with Poprad in High Tatras for games in 2002 and 2006. Briefs NEW YORK: The 2007 USATF National Club Track & Field Championships will be held at New York City's Icahn Stadium on July 13-14. It is another boost to the facility after the new US part of IAAF World Athletics Tour the Reebok Grand Prix will be held in the same stadium on June 2. WACO: World female athlete of the year Sanya Richards wants to double at Beijing Olympic Games 2008. She wanted to do the same (200 m and 400 m) also at Osaka World Championships but that wish came too late. Changes to timetable are no longer possible. As Times are reporting IAAF General secretary Pierre Weiss already send a letter to USATF with rejecting the request. But it still remains possible in Beijing. Richards even said she wants to run both relays and that means never in the history such a 4gold combination was done (200, 400, 4x100, 4x400). Richards also plans some 100 races this year, her best is 11.28 from 2003. Osaka time table – 26 Aug 10.50 400 m heats // 27 Aug 21.10 400 m semis // 29 Aug 10.40 200 m heats, 19.40 200 m 2nd round, 21.50 400 m final // 30 Aug 22.00 200 m semis // 31 Aug 21.15 200 m final. Crucial is 29 Aug with first two rounds of 200 m and 400 m final. NEW DELHI (India): As AIPS website reports positive doping cases emerged in India. Kerala's women’s quarter-miler Jasmin Joseph (winning 54.74) and Uttar Pradesh's javelin thrower Gajendra Singh (second in men category 69.91) are among nine sportspersons who tested positive for prohibited substances during the National Games at Guwahati in February. VERACRUZ: The international meet scheduled for May 5 is cancelled, that is already known, but Ana Guevara the top mexican athlete said that the event will be held but only on national basis. There will be also projects for 2008 to again stage it for top international athletes. FERRARA (ITA): European countries started to announce teams for European Cup at 10 000 m in Ferrara in April. Netherlands will send four runners and Greece three. KISH (IRN): Asian discus record holder Ehsan Hadadi (65.25 in 2005) started his season at home meet with solid toss of 63.28 m as italian statistican Marco Buccellato reports. APELDOORN (NED): The dutch candidate for European Indoor Championships 2011 Appeldorn will no longer bid for the championships in that year. But to meet all the necessary deadlines they will try for the 2013 edition of the championships. BERLIN: At the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON on 1 st April Patrick Makau will be the runner entered with the fastest personal best. The Kenyan is the latest entry and was second in February in Dubai behind Wanjiru (WR) with 59:13. In total 20 000 runners are anticipated to compete. LONDON: As Athletics Weekly reports former world and European junior 200m champion Vernicha James has resumed training in the hope of returning to her best form next year. James’ last race was back in May 2004 but soon after she struggled with injuries and stress in her personal life. It all led to James taking a break from the sport. She is now 22 and has bests of 11.40 (2002) and 22.93 (2001 and 2002). She won world junior champs in Kingston, 2002 in a 200 m race where Sanya Richards was third. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Armin Hary is today 70! He achieved as last „white“ sprinter an official 100 m world record 10.0 on June 21, 1960 in Zurich.

Alfons Juck