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Athletics News - 13.04.

EUROPEAN ATHLETICS LOOKS INTO FUTURE CANNES: The 20th European Athletics Congress this Saturday in Cannes will be one of the most important in the history. It is expected that 50 national federations will take part and will send the message for the future. European Athletics is having a motto for the future „The need for change“. During the congress steps could be done in this direction. The delegates will vote for new members of the decision making bodies. Two top positions are remaining unchallenged – president Hansjorg Wirz (SUI) and treasurer Karel Pilny (CZE, both since 1999). But for two vicepresidents posts there are six candidates. Current Agoston Schulek (HUN, the other current Valentin Balakhnichev from Russia is not standing) and five new candidates. From them three are current council members (Janez Aljancic/SLO, Jose Luis de Carlos/ESP and Philippe Lamblin/FRA). Totally new are Svein Arne Hansen (NOR, the long time meet director of Bislett Games and former Euromeetings President) and Vadim Zelichonok (RUS, formerly Russian head coach, now leads the IAAF regional development center in Moscow). For the 13 council seats 23 candidates are available. Except of Hansen the rest of five vicepresident candidates are also in this list. Then from other current council members six will not continue (Constantopoulos, Giomi, Lister, Prokop, Strasser and Szewinska). Only four want to continue (Dracos, Egilsson, Olijar and Salcedo). That leaves 14 new names as candidates and shows how drastically the council membership could change. Among this names are former great athletes. From the older generation two time olympic sprint winner Valeriy Borzov (UKR), former European 1500 m champion France Arese (ITA) or world and european steeple medallist Boguslaw Maminski (POL). From the younger generation Triple Jump World Record holder Jonathan Edwards (GBR), Decathlon Olympic Champion Erki Nool (EST) or former European High jump Champion Dragutin Topic (SER). Interesting also the bids of top executives of recent big championships Helsinki 2005 (Antti Pihlakoski) and Goteborg 2006 (Toralf Nilsson). In the field of meeting organisers Hansen was already mentioned, but also de Carlos is behind all the spanish meetings. From other candidates Greek Evangelos Meligounakis is the head of Rhetymno EAA Premium and Salih Munir Yaras (TUR) leads the Istanbul EAA Permit. Big interest is also for two committees which will be elected (competition 16 candidates for 4 places and development 12 candidates for 4 places). Commissions and working groups are afterwards named. European Athletics hopes to fulfill the goal to change with organising the European Championships in every two (even) years. The proposal is that the olympic year will be added into the current structure. That means the first possibility is in 2012. Other innovative proposal is to change the format and name of European Cup to European Teams Championships. Men and women will build one team per country and the countries will compete as currently at three levels. But the numbers will be different – 12 teams in Super League and First League and remaining countries will be divided into two groups of Second League. If approved this could start in 2009. WALKING PREVIEWS RIO MAIOR: IAAF Race Walking Challenge continues with third round (after Mexico and China) in Europe. Rio Maior will host its 16th „Grande Premio Internacional“ on Saturday with some top names in the start list and is for sure so far in the season the highest quality competition. From top six of Goteborg European Champs only one women is missing. Thirty ladies will start first for 20 km race at 5 pm. The main favourite is current European champion Rita Turava from Belarus. The World champs 2005 silver medallist will contest in Portugal her season debut. She holds the event best here with 1:27:19 while winning in 2005. Local hero Susanna Feitor (bronze at Worlds 2005) is of course competing also and she already won the event in the past eight times. Bronze medallist from Goteborg Elisa Rigaudo (ITA, winner here in 2004) is also in the start list as is Norway´s Kjersti Plätzer (silver in Sydney 2000 and 4th last year in Goteborg). Germany is strongly represented by Melanie Seeger (last year winner) and Sabine Zimmer. Russia is represented only by Tatyana Gudkova (the best time of all entrants 1:25:18). Jane Saville from Australia is another top name (bronze at Olympic Games 2004). Slovakian record holder Zuzana Malikova hopes to break 1:30 for first time. Nearly 50 entries are registered for men 20 km (start at 5.30 pm). The hottest name is Olympic Champion Ivano Brugnetti from Italy, who finished only 26th in the difficult chinese weather some weeks ago. Spectators will support mostly the Portuguese bronze medallist from Goteborg Joao Vieira. Russia is sending Dmitry Yesipchuk (best of 1:18:05) and Aleksand Yargunkin (1:20:22). African record holder Hatem Ghoula (TUN) should be also mentioned, early march achieved continental record at 50 km. Big Spanish Group is leaded by Jose Alejandro Cambil (1:21:58). Australian walkers are training currently in Italy, world record holder Nathan Deakes is not competing, but Luke Adams and Jared Tallent will be present. Last two years winner Francisco Fernadez (ESP) will not compete this time and his event record 1:19:02 (2005) might remain unchallenged. PODEBRADY: Already 75th annual of Podebrady Walking event in Czech Republic will be for the third time with European Athletics Permit. On Saturday the 20 km races will be not only international meet, but also match and Czech national championships. In total seven teams will compete (BLR, LTU, ITA, SUI, SWE, ESP added by home CZE squads). Nearly 100 competitors from 15 countries are entered. Men course record 1:18:24 by Jefferson Perez (ECU, at World Cup 1997) will be tough to beat, but women´s 1:33:16 by Barbora Dibelkova (CZE) in last year will be under threat. Spectators will follow Dibelkova (fifth from Helsinki World Champs) who will contest her first race after giving birth to son Matej before three months. Favourites are current spanish champion Maria Jose Poves (1:31:55) and experienced Italian Gisella Orsini (1:31:15). Best Slovak walker Matej Toth (6th in Goteborg) wants to attack his best 1:21:38 from Podebrady 2005. Strong rivals will come from Italy (Lorenzo Civallero 1:20:34) and Spain (Mikel Odriozola and Santiago Perez, both specialist for 50 km). Rafal Augustyn (22) from Poland already won this year in Dudince, Slovakia and must be a name to watch. Women will start at 2:30 and men at 3:00 pm. MARATHON PREVIEWS ROTTERDAM: Fast times are expected from this race although weather forecast is for a pretty warm temperatures. It should be around 20 degrees on start, the organisers are hoping for a 1:03 pace and Kenyans are hoping to break 2:07. First Kenyan male win was registered in 1999 (this year it is 27th annual) here but from then onwards only runners from this country won. Nine entrants have sub 2:08 bests and three women sub 2:27. The fastest times this year so far from Seoul Marathon (2:08:04 Lee Bong-ju and 2:23:12 Wei Yanan) should be during this weekend broken.Kenyans Rodgers Rop, Charles Kibiwott, Jimmy Muindi and William Onsare in the men category and Japanese Hiromi Ominami on the women side are the biggest favourites. PARIS: The 31st edition of this marathon will have also a home runners aiming for top spots. Mainly Driss El Himer (the european co-record holder Benoit Zwierzchlewski runs in Rotterdam) with best of 2:06:48. In total 35 000 runners are expected to take part. Title defender Gashaw Melese from Ethiopia and Spanish Julio Rey (silver medallist at Worlds 2003 in Paris and bronze last year in Goteborg) are the other favourites. French runners Brahim Lahlafi and Mokhtar Benhari (last year winner at European Cup 10 000 m) will debut at marathon distance. Very interesting also the first marathon by Ethiopian Deribe Merga who achieved in February in Dubai in WR race 59:44 in Half-Marathon. Three Ethiopians are the women favourites headed by Gigi Asha (2:26:05, second in Paris 2004). TORINO: According to the best times Torino Marathon on Sunday could be one of very few at the top where European wins will be registered. Home runners Danilo Goffi (2005 winner) and Daniele Caimmi (2003 winner) are the top favourites with 2:08:33 and 2:08:59. Giovanni Ruggiero is third with sub 2:10 (2:09:53) and only then the first Kenyan is listed Enock Mitei (2:10:52). Hungarian Aniko Kalovics heads the women field and after her Stramilano win and national record aims for another in marathon (2:26:44 last year in Carpi). For Italian runners it is also qualification race for Osaka World Championships. Other important marathons of the weekend are Canberra, Nagano, Lisbon, Linz and Debno. US ACTION AZUSA: At Azusa Pacific Multis Canadian Angela Whyte did not continue in her heptathlon after ankle sprain in the Long Jump. The best score was recorderd by last year NCAA Champion Jackie Johnson with 5681 points. Top two men scored personal bests – Chris Richardson 7871 and Chris Randolph 7798. The second day was hampered by wind gusts. World Champion Bryan Clay did not competed in planned individual events due to sore groin. Interesting try by 400mHurdles specialist Tanisha Mills (best 55.57), she scored 4608 points. KNOXVILLE: The 41st Sea Ray Relays started with solid decathlon win by Chris Helwick with 7732 points. The world juniors 2004 8th placer came close to his PB of 7780 in 2005. WESTWOOD: Jessica Cosby achieved very good 68.34 in Hammer during the first day of Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee invitational in Los Angeles. It is the third best of the career for the last year US Champion. WALNUT: At MtSAC Relays the Jamaican team including world record holder Asafa Powell will race. The invitational relays are scheduled for Sunday. „Asafa and the crew will arrive on Friday Night,“ confirmed his agent Paul Doyle. The date for his first individual 100 m race is not finalised yet, but most probably the international meet of Kingston, Jamaica on May 5 could be the site. Top entries for Walnut are Olympic champion Joanna Hayes (100 mH) and World Champion Dwight Phillips (Long Jump). Allyson Felix, the 200 m world champion, will try at 400 m (her best 51.12 in 2005). DOPING SECTION MONTE CARLO: IAAF announced latest three cases. Norwegian long distance runner Nils Engevik (HM best 1:04:31) is banned until October 2007, Romanian athlete Sebastian Varga until October 2008 and female junior athlete from India Mukesh Beniwal until June 2008. BRIEFS CACERES (ESP): Fresh world CC champion and last year World Road race Champion Zersenay Tadesse (ERI) makes an world half-marathon record attempt in Caceres on Sunday. Wilson Kebenei (Kenia), Joseph Maregu (Kenia), Yared Asmeron (Eritrea) and Cutbert Nyasango (Zimbabwe) are his main rivals. The target is 58:35 of Samuel Wanjiru achieved on March 17 in Haag (NED). SAN CARLOS (URU): At South American Grand Prix Meeting local sprint stars won their events. Heber Viera the 200 m (20.85) and Andres Silva the 400 m (46.83). South American hammer record holder Juan Ignacio Cerra from Argentina won his event with 72.46 m. CARSON (USA): Former 400 m world champion Ana Guevara (MEX) is the next headline name for the adidas Track Classic on May 20 in Carson. The meet is second stop of USATF Visa Championships Series and area permit in terms of scoring for World Athletics Tour. INDIANAPOLIS (USA): USATF informed about coaching staff for Osaka World Champs. Amy Deem (University of Miami) will be women´s head coach and Pat Henry (Texas AM) men´s.

Alfons Juck