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Athletics News - 14.04. |
De Carlos and Hansen new vicepresidents, very new council
CANNES: Elections at 20th European Athletics Congress brought new blood into governing bodies. Hansjorg Wirz (SUI, president) and Karel Pilny (CZE, treasurer) remained unupposed in their positions. But two vicepresident posts will become new names. Director of Spanish federation and meeting director of top spanish meets Jose Luis de Carlos got the spot along with other meeting organiser Svein Arne Hansen (NOR). Long time boss of Oslo Bislett Games and former Euromeetings president is currently also president of Norway Athletics Federation. Hungarian Agoston Schulek (vicepresident since 1999) did not succeeded along with Janez Aljancic (SLO), Philippe Lamblin (FRA) and Vadim Zelichonok (RUS). Other vicepresident until Saturday Valentin Balakhnichev (RUS) did not bid for the post. Only de Carlos got the necessary majority in first round (29) and in the second Hansen had 25.
The next election was about 13 council members. Only four persons remained from the old body and nine are new. That also shows that European Athletics has the chance to be new and ready for „the need to change“. All four unsuccesfull vicepresident candidates were hoping for a council place and three of them got it (Aljancic, Lamblin, Zelichonok). From other old council members two remained (Ludmila Olijar/LAT and Jorge Salcedo/POR). In the group of eight remaining new members very interesting the position for triple jump world record holder Jonathan Edwards (GBR) and two top executives of recent championships Antti Pihlakoski (FIN, Helsinki 2005) and Toralf Nilsson (SWE, Goteborg 2006). Franco Arese from Italy, the former European Champion at 1500 m (1971), was also elected. Remaining names are Sylvia Barlag (NED), Frank Hensel (GER), Dobromir Karamarinov (BUL) and Salih Munir Yaras (TUR). For example such great names like Valeriy Borzov, Erki Nool, Boguslaw Maminski and Dragutin Topic did not had the luck to be elected.
US ACTION
Superb US record for Flanagan at 5000 m
WALNUT: New US female 5000 m record was the Friday Highlight at MtSAC Relays in Walnut. National Champion Shalane Flanagan clocked 14:44.80 and bettered the previous mark of Regina Jacobs 14:45.35 at Olympic Trials 2000 in Sacramento. It is also a new world lead and 16th best national record at the distance. In a solo effort (5:52.7 and 9:27.7 kilo splits by Track and Field News) she had a very even pace and was far ahead of other runners. Second placed Jen Rhines achieved 15:10.80 and third Canadian Malindi Elmore got a new PB 15:12.12. In total seven runners went under 15:20. Also men´s 5000 m race produced a world best 2007 by Mexican Central American Champion Juan Luis Barrios with new best of 13.11.37. US Steeple Olympian Anthony Famiglietti achieved his career best too with 13:11.93 and third placed another Mexican David Galvan got in 34 years also PB 13.12.18. Two more runners finished under 13:20 – Canadian Kevin Sullivan with PB 13:19.27 and sensationally also US runner Ryan Kirkpatrick 13:19.68 (28 years, so far 13:31.68). Other distances produced foreign winners too. Jamaican 4th from last World Championships Korene Hinds registered second fastest women steeple of the year 9:39.94. Second and third US runners Carrie Messner (9:45.18) and Lindsey Anderson with huge improvement to 9:46.00 (so far 10:20.91). Mexican Maria Elena Valencia (this year winner of Torreon Marathon in 2:31:16) won the 10 000 m in new best of 32:40.58 and Kenyan Shadrack Songok dominated the same distance in great PB 28:16.47 (did not had sub 29 before). The action in Walnut continues on Saturday and Sunday.
KNOXVILLE: World 400 m hurdles champion Bershawn Jackson won at Sea Ray Relays the flat race in 45.61. Demi Omole registered solid 100 m win in 10.28 and Aries Merritt clocked 13.80 at high hurdles against -1.4 m/s wind. In women events good 400 m was registered. Shana Cox got 51.81, just 0.01 ahead of Mary Wineberg. Only third World Championships finalist Dee Dee Trotter with 52.01. Olympic and world champs finalist at 800 m Hazel Clark tested herself at 400 m with 54.43 (overall 9th). Paul Doyle´s Management Team got a good 1:33.33 at 4x200 m (Amertil, Bass, Dowdie, T. Clark).
AZUSA: Bennie Robinson again bettered his 100 m best at Azusa Pacific Invitational with 10.24 (one month ago he got 10.30). Long jumper Kareem Streete-Thompson (CAY) was 5th (10.56). Larry Wade competed again after his return at 110mH, this time 13.80. Canadian Shot Putter Dylan Armstrong for second time in his career went over 20 metres (20.15). On the women side African shot put record holder Vivian Chukwuemeka (NGR) got 18.09, only 34 cm short of her continental best. Canadian heptathlon record holder Jessica Zelinka showed good shape with individual results: 13.39 (100H), 24.36 (200 m) and 13.93 (Shot Put).
TEMPE: Slovakian hammer record holder Martina Danisova got a third win during her US stay. She won at 28th Sun Angel Classic her event with 65.91 m.
LANCASTER: As www.friidrott.se reports Swedish discus thrower Niklas Arrhenius showed good shape with 63.18 m win.
BRIEFS
PORT OF SPAIN: Agencies are reporting that former world class sprinter Ato Boldon resigned from his parliament membership in Trinidad and Tobago and will start a coaching career in Saudi Arabia. He will help there local sprinters in preparation towards Olympic Games 2008.
WIEN: Organisers of Vienna Marathon (Apr 29) announced that the former steeple world record holder Bernard Barmasai (KEN) will be one of the favourites of the event. The 33 years old runner has a marathon best of 2:08:50 as third last year in Paris. His steeple mark 7:55.72 from 1997 (WR at that time) is still Kenyan record and 4th best all-time result.
MANCHESTER: Double olympic champion Kelly Holmes will run at Great Manchester Run on May 20. But do not worry, as she said for BBC it will be only for fun.
MONTE CARLO: High hurdles world champion Ladji Doucoure it his own website revealed his calendar for the season 2007. He is fit and in full training and is scheduled to compete for the first time in Eugene (USA) at Prefontaine Classic on June 10. For the moment his next race would be European Cup Super League in Munich. He will also do the full new french series Athle Tour (Strasbourg, Reims, Monaco) and of course Paris Golden League is included too where he has a long term participation contract.
SOMETHING AT THE END:
UTRECHT: To the discussion about the participation numbers at Utrecht Marathon Wilmar Kotleever writes: I think this issue might be a bit overblown. As far as I can find, the organisation in Utrecht never claimed to have had 13.000 marathon runners. They claimed to have had a record number of participants in their event and that was very true - but you have to take into account that their event comprises more than one distance (obviously). I received the following breakdown of the numbers:
* 7800 people finished
* 1400 people did not pre-register, but entered in the weekend. As such, they did not get a chip and therefore are not in the results Lennart looked up.
* 900 people did register, but DNS
* 220 participants in the kids run are not in the 'official results'.
* 1200 people participated in the also related Walk event (also not in the Chip-ped results)
* 860 people DNF.
These numbers indicate that almost 12400 people were at some point registered with Utrecht and over 11500 indeed finished some distance in one way or another.
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Alfons Juck
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