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Athletics News - 06.04. |
Allen Johnson plans until Beijing
LOS ANGELES: One of the best high hurdlers of all-time Allen Johnson (36) plans at least two more years on the circuit. His agent Tony Campbell confirmed that he wants to compete until Beijing Olympic Games. He already competed at three Olympic Games and won gold in Atlanta 1996. „He needed some rest, that is why he missed the indoor season. But is currently back in good training, he should have his first hurdles race in Guadeloupe early May. Then we are looking into US main meet fixtures like Carson and New York. He will also run some sprints and relays,“ said Campbell. Johnson had last year great second part of the season winning in Zurich and at World Cup in Athens.
Pickler and Wilson with World Leads
AUSTIN: The 80th Texas Relays at Myers Stadium registered on Thursday two world leading marks. Diana Pickler (23) scored huge personal best in Heptathlon by 350 points with 6205 (as per official webiste of the event, 13.28 – 184 – 11.75 – 23.69 – 615 – 41.97 – 2:19.08). Apart of 200 m (+2.3), shot put and javelin, she registered new bests in all other four events. Back in 2002 she was 15th at World Junior Championships in Kingston. Her twin sister Julie was third (5734, equalled her best from last year), inbetween Ryanne Dupree scored also PB 5818. The winner was already once best at Texas Relays back in 2005, in 2006 Julie was the winner, so it is family affair in last three years. Diana Pickler was quoted by meet website: „I’m not thinking there [about the Olympics] yet. I’m still thinking about Pac-10 and Nationals, so I have got to focus on those before I can focus on that [Olympics], but its still in the back of your head.“ Jamaican Nickiesha Wilson clocked in heats of 400m Hurdles world leading 56.67 and bettered her best from 2006 by 0.10 s.
Briefs
NAIROBI: The Nation reports that Nairobi will bid to stage the African Senior Championships 2008. The meet will be for many African countries Olympic selection possibility. Recent World CC in Mombasa motivated the Kenyan officials to try to stage in the country another top event. Specially sprints and jumps could be interesting in Nairobi high altitude.
VOLGOGRAD: Former coach of Yelena Isinbayeva Yevgeniy Trofimov is now helping one of the biggest opponents of his former athlete. Poland´s Anna Rogowska is currently as per reports from Russia beeing in Volgograd to get help from the coach. Trofimov´s consultancy role could bring some results for summer season. Jacek Torlinski remains of course the main coach of Rogowska. She is National Record holder indoors (480) and outdoors (483). She has long term goal to break five metres and attack the top position in the world.
GERMISTON (RSA): Disabled Oscar Pistorius fulfilled his role at National Disabled Championships and set new paralympic world records also at 200 m (21.58) and 400 m (49.16). He has better times at 400 m (even a sub 47), but that was not achieved at disabled competition.
LAGOS: Daily Champion of Nigeria reports that the sprinter Adetoye Durotoye recently clocked 9.99 at 100 m. He trains currently in Ilorin, Kwara State and got invitation to train in Italy. This result could be hand timed 10.0, he was fifth at World Cup 2006 in relay and known PB´s 10.49 and 20.92.
NYAHURURU (KEN): IAAF reports about the winners of Nyahururu 10 km road race – Abel Maina 30:17.4 and Monica Wangari 36:11.4.
TOKIO: Fourth placer from recent World CC in Mombasa Kenyan Gideon Ngatuny dreams about gold medal in Osaka. He was quoted by Kenyan media that he feels he can manage this task. But he admits, the main hurdle to go over is to be succesfull at Kenyan National Trials. His event is 10 000 m where he has a high quality best of 27:28.42 achieved last year in Japan, where he is based. He named Martin Irungu, Charles Kamathi and Moses Mosop as the biggest home threats. Last year he was supposed to run at World CC in Fukuoka as junior, but it was discovered that he is older than allowed. This year he prooved his position in senior ranks beeing second at National Championships and World Championships trials.
MONTE CARLO: IAAF informed about new 9 confirmed doping cases. Most known athlete is Russian Hammer Thrower Ilya Konovalov. He had positive out-of-competition test in Kursk (RUS) in December and is banned for two years, until February 19, 2009. The World Champs 2001 bronze medallist is 36 years old and remains under question whether in such an age he will try for return after the ban. Young Russian Olesya Kravchenko (born 1989) had presence of classic anabolic steroid Stanozolol in her sample at February Indoor Meet in Moscow. She will be not allowed to compete until February 2009. Last year she was Russian U17 Champion at 100mHurdles (13.57).
UTRECHT (NED): One of the most important marathons in Europe during Easter Weekend will be the 7th Fortis Utrecht Marathon on Monday. Favourites are for example Kenyan Sammy Chumba, who won this year in January the Marrakech Marathon clocking PB 2:11:43. Ukrainian Dmytro Osadchy has 2:13:14 as winner in Dublin 2005. Fourty years old Belgian Gino Van Geyte is also named in the top runners list, he still clocked last year 2:14:40. Last year there were 10 000 participants. This year the organisers hope for even more.
Stats Corner
Do you know who is the best all-time 100 m runner? Carl Lewis, at least by respected Athletics Writer and Historian Mel Watman. He compiled just recently his own All-Time Top Ten Rankings by counting points for medals at Olympic Games and World Championships, world records and world rankings positions (by Track and Field News Rankings and Athletics Today/Athletics International World Rankings). According to this criteria his top five at 100 m looks as follows: 1. Carl Lewis, 2. Maurice Greene, 3. Jesse Owens, 4. Jim Hines, 5. Donovan Bailey.
You can obtain the rankings from Mel directly, email: mel@gardencourt.fsnet.co.uk
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Alfons Juck
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