by Larry EderLiu Xiang had a weird US tour. First, he could not run in New York due to hamstring issue, then he false starts in Eugene. A week later, Dayron Robles sets a new world record. Of course, Robles is on Xiang’s mind. It just shows how tough the semi finals and the finals in Beijing will be….
EME NEWS (JUNE 14, 2008)
LIU PLANS RACES AT HOME
BEIJING (CHN): Agencies are reporting that China’s world and Olympic champion Liu Xiang said he was unfazed by the loss of his 110m hurdles world record to his biggest rival Dayron Robles as competition heats up before the Olympics. „I think a few of the top people have the ability to do that. But he is the youngest of my rivals and he is the biggest threat because he has got all that hidden potential,” Liu told China’s biggest sports website, Hua Ao Xing Kong. Liu’s coach Sun said the loss of the world record would not have a „big impact” on Liu’s preparations for Beijing Games. „In fact, the new world record will inspire Liu Xiang to work harder, so we will be continuing our preparations as normal and it won’t have a big impact,” said the coach. After being injured in New York and disqualified in Eugene Liu plans domestic races in China before Olympic Games. He will not come to Europe for July Golden League and Grand Prix meetings. So his really international outing before the games will remain Osaka Grand Prix. His rival Dayron Robles plans a solid schedule of races in July in Europe. He competes next in France, in Sotteville on June 15 and Lille on June 27.
FELICIEN UNCLEAR
TORONTO (CAN): Former world champion at 100 m Hurdles Perdita Felicien could get medical exemption from the Canadian Olympic trials to be held July 4-6 in Windsor, as she may not recover in time from an ankle injury sustained while training in February. The 2003 100 m hurdles world gold medalist won’t speak to the media until she has a clearer picture of her health status, Canadian media inform.
SUSANJ REMAINS PRESIDENT
ZAGREB (CRO): Former 800 m European Champion Luciano Susanj remains president of Croatian Athletics Federation. He was voted again to the function today at general assembly. He was the only candidate for the post. One of four vice-presidents if former miler Branko Zorko.
KALLUR HAVING A BREAK
STOCKHOLM (SWE): World indoor record holder Susanna Kallur of Sweden will take a break and miss the European Cup next weekend in Istanbul. Her next competition should be the Golden Gala of Rome on July 11. After Bislett Games she felt pain in right leg, and x-ray at orthopedist Leif Swärd in Gothenburg last Monday showed that the pain comes from an earlier healed stress fracture.
CANTWELL AND SLESARENKO CONFIRMED
MADRID (ESP): The first IAAF Grand Prix meeting after Ostrava will be held in nearly one month. The Madrid Grand Prix planned for July 5 already announced some top names. For example Shot Put World Indoor champion Christian Cantwell from USA or High Jump reigning Olympic winner Yelena Slesarenko. Spanish record holder Ruth Beitia is looking forward to this duel.
RESULTS
THOMPSON GETS THE TITLE
DES MOINES (USA, June 11-13): Trinidad´s Richard Thompson won the highly anticipated 100 m finals at NCAA Championships. He clocked 10.12 against -0.5 wind and clearly beat other top names as Travis Padgett (10.16), Trindon Holliday (10.18) and Walter Dix (10.22). He also helped his LSU team to win the 4×100 m in world leading 38.42 ahead of Texas AM 38.58 and Florida 38.84. Other great sprint mark by junior Jeshua Anderson at 400 m Hurdles, his 48.69 PB is the fifth fastest junior performer of all-time. Also PB for second Reuben McCoy (48.71). At distances personal bests for winners Bobby Curtis (13:33.93 at 5000 m) and Kyle Alcorn (8:28.26 at steeple). In the prelims LeJerald Betters was the fastest at 400 m (45.12) and great PB for Ty Akins in 110 m Hurdles semis (13.25, +0.4) but Jason Richardson was also fast with 13.29 and 13.26 in semis and heats. In technical events great marks for foreign students. French Mickael Hanany qualified for Beijing with 232 High Jump win as world leader Dusty Jonas was only tying for second with Grant Lindsey (226). Great Zimbabwean national record for Ngoni Makusha 830 (-1.2) in Long Jump. Ashton Eaton scored 8055 PB to win the decathlon before Jangy Addy (7916) and Chilean Gonzalo Barroilhet with national record 7907 points.
On the women side Brittney Reese tied her own world leading 693 (+0.9) in the Long Jump. Also here 100 m top position for Trinidad. Kelly-Ann Baptiste won the 100 m race clocking 11.20 (-0.5). She then lost with her teammates the 4×100 m battle after 42.85 to Texas AM who recorded collegian leading 42.59. Jamaican Nickiesha Wilson (54.45) and Nicole Leach (54.62) clocked season bests to dominated the 400 m Hurdles. Tiffany Ofili improved in 100 m heats to 12.73 (+0.3). Two great distance marks. Jenny Barringer improved to fast PB 9:29.20 in steeple and Kenyan Sally Kipyego registered the expected 5000 m win (15:15.08).
SDIRI 821
PIERRE-BENITE (FRA, June 13): French long jumper Sali Sdiri is getting back to his best shape, one year after being spiked by a javelin at the 2007 Golden League in Roma. In his second outing in the long jump, he landed at 8.21m/+1.3 in a local meet in Pierre-Benite on Friday night, thus snatching his qualification for Beijing . Swiss Julien Fivaz was second with a 8.10m/+1.1 jump, his best result in five years. In the pole vault Renaud Lavillenie, Xavier Tromp and Jérôme Clavier all cleared 550.
AFRICAN STEEPLE RECORD AND WORLD LEAD
HUELVA (ESP, June 13): Kenyan steeplechaser Eunice Jepkorir broke her African record of the 3000 steeplechase in the Iberoamericano meet on Friday in Huelva, clocking 9:11.18, more three seconds off the previous mark (9:14.52). It is also world leading mark and fourth best performer ever and best non-Russian. Switching gear for her previous 9:30 outings, the 26 year old Kenyan dragged Ethiopian Mekdes Bekele and Portugal Jessica Augusto to new national marks of 9:20.23 and 9:22.50. Spanish Marta Dominguez finished 6th in 9:39.18 in her debut over the distance. Ethiopia Sileshi Sihine convincingly won the men’s 5000m in 12:58.41, the 5th best performance in the world this season and the 3rd best Ethiopian behind Tariku Bekele and Abreham Cherkos. Kenya’s Kiprono Menjo was second in 13:06.17. Spanish high jumper Ruth Beitia improved her season’s best by 3cm to 1.98m and now shares third place with American Chanté Howard in the 2008 top lists. Triple jump world champion Yargelis Savigne continued her winning series with a best jump of 14.72m. Spanish hurdler Josephine Onyia had the edge over France’s Adrianna Lamalle in the 100m hurdles, 12.82 to 12.95. Arturo Casado claimed victory in a highly disputed 1500m in 3:35.83 ahead of Algeria’s Samir Kheddar (3:36.09) and Diego Ruiz 3:36.26. Reyes Estevez was fourth in 3:36.33. Russian Darya Pichchalnikova won the discus with 64.13m. 19 year old Ethiopian Nahom Mesfin edged Abubakar Ali Kamal of Qatar in the men’s 3000m steeplechase 8:14.87 to 8:15.80. Puerto Rico Javier Culson had an easy win in the 400m hurdles (49.20). On the women’s 400m, there was no match for Cuban Indira Terrero who finished three seconds ahead the second place in 51.23.
SUDAK TURKISH HAMMER RECORD
ANKARA (TUR, June 13): Former Belarus Svetlana Sudak who represents Turkey achieved new national record during first day of Second leg of Clubs League in hammer 70.28 m. Olympic medalist Esref Apak confirmed his good shape with 79.15 m in men´s hammer. Nigerian Peter Emelize competing for Fenerbahce clocked 10.37 to win the 100 m. Belarus Ilona Usovic (also Fenerbahce) achieved solid 51.50 at 400 m and Kazakh Olga Rypakova (Enka Spor Kulubu) got 14.37 in Triple Jump.
TSATOUMAS WITH EUROPEAN LEADER
ATHENS (GRE, June 13): National record holder Louis Tsatoumas was the best performer of the 1st day of the Greek National Championships in Athens Olympic Stadium. Tsatoumas won the final with 832 (+0.4), what is new European leading mark of the season, while in the morning qualification round jumped 814. World medalist Hrysopyi Devetzi won the women’s long jump with 658 and prepares for the triple jump. Andreas Anastassopoulos verified the low Beijing standard with a victorious shot at 19.98, while Panayotis Sarris (10.37) and Georgia Kokloni (11.57) dominated the 100 m finals. Ekaterini Thanou and Fani Halkia are not competing. Impressing performances in the 400m races. Cypriot Alissa Kallinikou won the women’s race with 52.05, followed by Dimitra Dova who also met the low Olympics standard with 52.33 In the men’s race Pantelis Melahrinoudis clocked 46.13 to defeat Petros Kyriakidis (46.57) and Dimitrios Regas (46.62). Informs athletix.org.
CHINESE JUNIOR OVER 8 METRES IN LONG JUMP
JAKARTA (INA, June 13): At Asian Junior Championships China´s Weng Yongfeng won with excellent 805 cm the Long Jump (also meet record). In the 100 m Lai Chun Ho of Hong Kong was the best (10.43).
GUDKOVA SUB 1:30 IN LITHUANIA
ALYTUS (LTU, June 13): Excellent walking at 34th Alytus Walking Festival (European Athletics Permit). Russian Tatyana Gudkova won the 20 km in 1:29:59 ahead of home Kristina Saltanovic who got also the national title after 1:31:15. Belarus Sergey Chiarnou won the men 20 km in 1:22:29 as home Marius Ziukas recorded Olympic B-qualifier 1:24:17 as second (national champion) along with Donatas Skarnulis (1:24:21). Poland´s Dawid Tamala won the 10 km of juniors (42:27) and Ukrainian Nadeya Dorozhuk the junior-girls race after 51:12.
DUCO SOUTH AMERICAN SHOT PUT JUNIOR RECORD
IQUIQUE (CHI, June 13): Chilean Natalia Duco achieved at Iberoamerican Championships new South American junior shot put record (and national senior) with improvement to 18.65 m. Head-wind marred the sprints. Brazilian Jose Carlos Moreira won the 100 m in 10.54 against -2.3 wind. Portugal´s Gaspar Araujo won the Long Jump (782, -1.5).
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