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Athletics News - 25.03. |
MOMBASA
Shorts around World CC Champs:
Kenenisa Bekele issued statement through his management company Global Sports Communications about his view about what happened in Saturday´s race: "I felt really good yesterday and was full of confidence. When I made my move on Tadesse, I was sure that I was going to write history in Mombasa. But it all turned out totally different. During the race, I started to have some stomach problems, but I was not too worried. Then, suddenly, I felt that my coordination was not good and that my mind was dizzy. I even started to doubt about how many laps I still had to run. I was confused and felt that I lost all my energy. I was slowing down and felt that I was losing control over my body as well as my mind. This is why I decided to stop the race. Now, one day later, I am convinced that this had to do with the heat and humidity. Yesterday's race was a great upset to me, but in my opinion I did everything right; I drank extra water, cooled my body with ice before the race and for the rest did everything the same as usual. So what can I do? I have to accept what happened yesterday, take a small rest and than start all over again for the summer season." His first scheduled race for summer is at Thales FBK Games in Hengelo on May 26 where he should run 2 miles.
Female winner Lornah Kiplagat said that her Mombasa win was her last CC race of the career. Now she will concentrate on road running with next aim to compete well in London Marathon.
Male winner Zersenay Tadesse plans to attack the 10 000 m gold medal at World Championships in Osaka. That could lead to another duel with Kenenisa Bekele.
David Martin reports that manager Ricky Simms confirmed the more used name of female junior winner Linet Masai. She is sister of Moses Masai, the 10 000 m African junior champion.
Austrian Gunther Weidlinger was one of the very few central european runners in the field and he described his feeling as follows (he stopped after 5 km): „At the begin I was feeling well. But then problems with blood circulation started, I was seeing black and could not run.“ Some hours after that he was feeling again better and hopes to race in Ferrara on April 7 at European 10 000 m Cup.
German website leichtathletik.de is quoting IAAF Vice-President Helmut Digel: „We believed too much into informations given to us by Kenyans. If we would know that such extreme conditions would be possible, we would vetoed the championships.“ Also EAA President Hansjorg Wirz said as per leichtathletik.de: „The tent, where the runners were after the finish line, looked partly like a military hospital.“ Bob Ramsak reports that the conditions were the toughest in the history of the event and 27 runners were hospitalized. Fortunately no one was forced to stay there for the night.
OTHER NEWS
SHENZHEN (CHN): Only European in Sunday´s 50 km race during 2nd day of 2nd leg of IAAF Race Walking Challenge in China was the former world champion (1993) Jesus Angel Garcia (37 years) from Spain. Again in tough conditions (humidity) as on Saturday he was very good third with 3:52:24. His season best from early March is only slightly better (3:52:22). Top two were locals – fourth from Olympic Games and Asian record holder Yu Chaohong (3:49:27) and only 20 years old Sun Chao with new best 3:50:46. Yu´s time is second best of the year, only Italian Alex Schwazer with his excellent NR is better (3:36:04 in February).
TREVISO (ITA): Kenyan Benjamin Pseret won the 4th Treviso Marathon with new best and new course record 2:10:18. The former was held by last years winner Rachid Kisri (MAR) 2:10:34. 27years old Pseret had before 2:13:46 as second last year in Barcelona. Other Kenyans finished second and third and very close behind the winner – David Mayo (2:10:19) and Philips Kiplagat Biwott (2:10:27). Also close fourth Fedaku Asnake from Ethiopia (2:10:27). Best European was Antonello Petrei from Italy on the sixth place (2:15:20). Ethiopian Shitaye Gemechu won the women´s race in another course record 2:28:03 (former 2:28:31 by Deborah Toniolo from 2006). Gemechu started at all three last world championships marathons (best 7th in Edmonton 2001) and has a best 2:26:15 in Berlin 2002. Soumiya Labani from Morrocco was second (2:31:43) and another Ethiopian Measso Arsedi third (2:35:51). Some 4600 runners participated.
VENLO (NED): The Venloop 2007 with 3000 participants registered at HM wins for Kenyans. Last year second Elias Maindi was this time the winner in new best 1:01:53. Peninah Arusei was the best woman 1:10:49. Top 3 – men: 1. Elias Maindi,KEN 1:01:53, 2. Emanuel Biwott,KEN 1:02:08, 3. Sanders Schutgens,NED 1:04:19, wom: 1. Peninah Arusei,KEN 1:10:49, 2. Gishu Mindaye,ETH 1:12:21, 3. Fatiha Baouf,BEL 1:12:39
WARSZAWA (POL): Kenyan Michael Karonei and former track steeple world record holder Justyna Bak (POL) were the winners of Sunday´s Warszawa Half-Marathon. Bak achieved 1:12:14 and was able to beat by 8 seconds marathon runner Malgorzata Sobanska who is in preparation for Rotterdam. Karonei´s winning time 1:03:25 was better by 7 seconds as his countryman Joel Komen who finished second. Some 1610 runners finished the race, more than 500 as in last year. Top3, men: 1. Michael Karonei,KEN 1:03:25, 2. Joel Komen,KEN 1:03:32, 3. Aleksey Reunkov,RUS 1:03:55, wom: 1. Justyna Bak,POL 1:12:14, 2. Malgorzata Sobanska,POL 1:12:18, 3. Grazyna Syrek,POL 1:15:16
USA – SPRING TRACK SEASON
TEMPE: Arizona State Invitational saw the return of Olympic 200 m champion Veronica Campbell from Jamaica after iinjury. She ran third leg for OTM Team at 4x400 m relay and was timed at 52.9. Her team finished second (3:36.68), win went to Arizona State (3:36.10). 23 years old Katie Erdman bettered her 800 m best to solid 2:02.99.
BATON ROUGE: LSU Tiger Relays confirmed very good early shape of Kelly Ann Baptiste, the Trinidad record holder. She won the 100 m race clocking 11.22 (+1.3), second Juanita Broaddus achieved 11.34 and missed her best from 2005 only by 0.02 s. LSU Trinidadian male sprinter Richard Thompson won the 100 m in 10.31 (+0.9). Experienced Russ Buller went this time in Pole Vault over very good 572 cm.
WINSTON SALEM: The 4x100 m relay team of St. Augustine´s achieved very good 39.48 and Jamaican Adrian Findlay won the 400 m Hurdles in 50.11. This were the headlines of final day at Wake Forest Open.
AUSTIN: US Collegiate High Jump is improving this year – latest confirmation from Texas Invitational as Will Littleton bettered his best to 228 (previously 223).
TUCSON: Collegiate champion Natasha Hastings started outdoor campaign on high note. At Arizona Click Shoot-out she clocked 23.01 at 200 m and 51.02 at 400 m. It is her outdoor best, while winning the NCAA indoor title early march in Fayetteville she clocked 50.80.
SACRAMENTO: At Star Hornet Invitational new best of local sprinter Jody Johnson (21) at 200 m 20.64 (-1.5) was the highlight.
TUCSALOOSA: Alabama Relays registered a nice 110mH duel into a -2.4 wind. Aries Merritt won with 13.70 and John Yarbrough was second by only 0.01 s. Georgia runners David Dickens (200 m 20.69) and Justin Gaymon (400mH 49.81) achieved new personal bests. On women side Tiffany McWilliams clocked solid 2:04.44 at 800 m, Lavern Spencer from St. Lucia came close to her high jump national record with 192 (record is 194), Andree Pickens bettered her best in Pole Vault to 440 and Brittney Reese achieved new outdoor best in long jump 659 (+1.2, indoors she has 664 this year).
AUBURN: Croatian hammer thrower Andras Haklits won his event at Springtime Invitational (74.95), Jim Dilling went over 225 cm in High Jump.
CLEMSON: Clemson Relays were highlighted by 100 m dash of Travis Padgett who clocked 10.22 (0.0).
FORT WORTH: Jamaican sprinter Marvin Anderson was the fastest at Horned Frog Invitational. He won the 100 m wind aided 10.16 (+2.7), but at 200 m he got a new PB 20.53 (+2.0). Zimbabwe´s Lewis Banda was second (20.88).
LOS ANGELES: At Trojan Invitational Jesse Williams bettered his best in high jump to excellent 233 cm. It is also a world leading outdoor mark 2007. Olympian Jamie Nieto was second (225). Shot Put NCAA champion Noah Bryant registered his first outdoor 20 m mark with 20.02. Lionel Larry won the 400 m in solid 45.75. Candice Davis went first time in her career under 13 seconds at 100mH with 12.94 (0.0) and is collegiate leader 2007.
HOUSTON: At 56th Texas Southern University Relays the current world and olympic champion at 400 m Jeremy Wariner started his season. He ran anchor leg for the USA High Performance Team which won the race at 4x400 m clocking 3:03.54. In the line-up of this team were Sanjay Ayre/JAM, Darold Williamson and Joe Shelton. Second place went to USA High Performance B Team (3:04.46) with Greg Nixon, Wallace Spearmon, Derrick Brew and LaBoris Bean. Marcus Harris won the HJ with 223 and Funmi Jimoh (USA) achieved windy 662 (+3.0) in women Long Jump.
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Alfons Juck
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