by Larry EderThe positive tests for CERA of six athletes from Beijing has been around the world and then some now. Lord Sebastian Coe, the 1980 and 1984 gold medalist at 1,500 meters, and 1980 and 1984 silver medalist at 800 meters, and the Chairman of the London 2012, made some thoughtful comments on the subject of Rashid Ramzi, who was among the athletes who tested positive…
COE´S REACTION TO RAMZI
LONDON (TGBR): Chairman of London 2012 and IAAF Vice-President Sebastian Coe has expressed dismay at the positive test involving Rashid Ramzi. Ramzi, who is from Morocco but runs for Bahrain, is one of six athletes from last year‘s Olympics in Beijing who were revealed this week to have been caught out by new tests for the blood-boosting agent CERA (Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator), the latest generation of Erythropoietin (EPO). “It‘s abhorrent whenever there is a positive test but I think anyone who ran at our distance will find this a pretty disfiguring moment. But we have caught him out, that‘s the important thing. There is some cause for optimism because—and this is no idle threat—we are now much smarter, about how to catch these people. And for those athletes we have our suspicions about the message is very clear: we will get you. We are winning the battle, the technology is much better, and we will present the best-possible environment for a drug-free Games in London,“ said Coe the 1984 1500 m Olympic winner.
PARS 80.52 AND HRASNOVA 72.10
WARSZAWA (POL, May 2): It was not an usual competition. In the morning of the meet was a visit to Warsaw main Cemetery. Before the competition on the field a special video-film was shown. All to pay honour to late Kamila Skolimowska, 2000 hammer Olympic winner, who unexpectedly died this February. Parents of Kamila Mrs. Teresa and Mr. Robert Skolimowski invited with help of Warszawa City top throwers to remember their daughter with a competition. A training field of SKRA Club where Kamila started to throw and achieved her first world junior record changed within two-three days to excellent facility with the latest upgraded hammer cage. The meeting called Good-Bye Kamila could be held also because top hammer throwers without any doubts accepted the invitation to come. Also one of best Kamila Friends Croatia´s record holder Ivana Brkljacic who is passing this year of throwing because of injury came. Both polish Olympic medalists in other events Tomasz Majewski and Piotr Malachowski came also and even competed in three events of so called Highland Games. And from his training base in near-by Spala the legendary discus thrower Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania also arrived. All to pay tribute to one of the most popular sports personalities in Poland. In the competiton itself men had higher quality as world leader and Olympic silver medalist Krisztian Pars of Hungary got in third round second best in the world in this year 80.52 m. “I must be satisfied, but I m feeling I can have more soon,†Pars commented. Russian 80 metres man Aleksey Zagornyi was clear second with 78.91 and in the Italian fight for third Sydney silver winner Nicola Vizzoni was better (75.81) then European finalist Marco Lingua (75.23). Olympic winner Primoz Kozmus of Slovenia competed for first time this season after injury and achieved 75.10 as fifth. The parents of Kamila Skolimowska were thankful to him that he came although it was clearly seen he still needs more time to come back into the shape after some break. In women competition Slovak record holder and Olympic finalist Martina Hrasnova in all her valid four throws went over 70+. The best in second round 72.10 what was clearly enough to win. “This was something special, we all knew the competition was not as important today, but to remember somebody whom we all knew and who was very close to us. I m still asking why such young people must go,†Hrasnova said after the competition in tears. Moldavian sisters were next in order. Marina Marghieva came close to the national record of her sister Zalina (71.56) with 71.03 what was enough to be second. Zalina as third achieved 69.56 ahead of French Stephanie Falzon (68.47). Another French Manuela Montebrun although present in Warszawa was not able to throw due to knee injury and will decide early next week whether she will be able to travel to Doha for Qatar Super Grand Prix on May 8. Poland´s winner of European Cup Winter Throwing this year Anita Wlodarczyk also had problems with her back and had only one exhibition attempt (52.12). “I m injured since early April and it is getting better, today I could not throw but wanted to be here to honour Kamila,†she said.
Results
Men: 1. Pars, HUN 80.52 (78.05-78.81-80.52-77.85-x-78.60), 2. Zagorniy, RUS 78.91, 3. Vizzoni, ITA 75.81, 4. Lingua, ITA 75.23, 5. Kozmus, SLO 75.10, 6. Sokolovs,LAT 73.87, 7. Ziolkowski 73.49, 8. Palyszko 69.20
Women: 1. Hrasnova, SVK 72.10 (70.14-72.10-x-71.43-x-70.26), 2. M. Marghieva,MDA 71.03, 3. Z. Marghieva, MDA 69.56, 4. Falzon, FRA 68.47, 5. Zadura 67.15, 6. Sobierajska 67.05, 7. Kita 65.55, 8. Nemeth, HUN 58.11, 9. Wlodarczyk,POL 52.12
RYBIN AND PLAKSINA
SARANSK (RUS, May 2): Russian marathon champions were crowned Sergey Rybin in 2:11:48 and former middle distance runner Margarita Plaksina in 2:35:36. For Rybin a great PB as he had 2:19 before and the same for Plaksina who had 2:40:47 before from winning last years Helsinki marathon. In men race second Aleksey Sokolov (2:16:03) and third Ayrat Kashayev (2:19:18). In women race Yevgeniya Danilova achieved 2:36:17 and Yelena Rukhlyada 2:36:49. Returning from doping ban Lyubov Denisova did not finish her race.
GOOD THROWS IN MONTENEGRO
BAR (MNE, May 1): Bosnian shot putter Hamza Alic achieved good 20.08 at 14th International Meeting in Bar, Montenegro. Second Serbian Asmir Kolasinac registered 19.95 and third Croatian Nedzad Mulabegovic 19.85 m. Serbian triple record holder Biljana Topic registered good quality 14.11. Good results in women discus as Serbian Dragana Tomasevic got 61.78 and Croatian Vera Begic 61.52. In High Jump Jovan Vukicevic of Serbia cleared 223 (has a PB of 227).
VELDAKOVA TWINS JUMPING WELL
KOSICE (SVK, May 2): Veldakova jumping twins were the stars of home meet in Kosice. Jana achieved 662 (+1.7) in Long Jump and Dana who is European bronze winner from Torino also good 14.27 (+2.0) in triple jump. Both are planning compete abroad next weekend. Jana in Doha and Dana in Pavia, Italy.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News.
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