by Larry EderIf sports fans consider a coach in basketball or football important, then consider for a moment the coaches of Texas A & M and the University of Oregon. Texas A & M is coached by Pat Henry, former coach at LSU. In 1990, Pat Henry won both men and women’s NCAA titles at LSU. Vinn Lannana coached Stanford before Oregon and did quite well there.
In the 2009 NCAA Outdoor, there was a terrific battle between Texas A & M and Oregon, two tough and experienced coaches, with fine teams, battling for the championships. This time around, Pat Henry won and his Texas A & M won both the men and women’s titles, the first time since 1990 (which was Henry’s former team, LSU, also under his coaching expertise).
Congrats to Coach Henry and his team, Texas A & M on their victories!
EME NEWS (JUNE 14, 2009)
FAVORITE WINS: ISINBAYEVA, RICHARDS, BEKELE
BERLIN (GER, June 14): DKB-ISTAF, the AF Golden League opening of the last year of the series saw top favorites for one million jackpot winning. Russian Pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, Sanya Richards at 400 m and Kenenisa Bekele at 5000 m. The other winners will have it tough to repeat their wins when the series will resume early July in Oslo. In total four world leading marks were registered (men 1500 m and women 400 m, high jump, pole vault). Absolute highlight was the high jump when the 63 896 spectators saw 5 attempts to equall the world record of Stefka Kostadinova (209 from 1987).
Nadine Kleinert from Germany was the first winner this afternoon with 19,39m in the shot put. Natallia Mikhnevich from Belarus came second with 19,26m. Italys Chiara Rosa established a new NR with 19,15m and came third. Olympic champion Gerd Kanter from Estonia won the discus competition in solid 67,88m in front of Piotr Malachowski from Poland with 67,70m and Berlin home boy Robert Harting (66,17m). Germanys Robin Schembera had a great sprint in the 800m and won with 1:45,96min in front of Michael Rimmer from Great Britain (1:46,31min) and Reuben Bett from Kenya (1:46,68min). Chris Brown from the Bahamas won the sprint duell on the home straight of the 400m. He finished first in 45,61s before Gary Kikaya from Congo with 45,92s. SB for Swedens Johan Wissman with 45,97s and Russias Denis Alekseyev (46,33s).
New world leading time for Sanya Richards in 49,57s. She crossed the finish line more than a second before Amantle Montsho from Botswana (SB 50,94s) and Russia´s Yulia Gushchina (SB 51,10s).
The womens high jump was the highlight and most captivant: Germanys Ariane Friedrich beat Blanka Vlasic from Croatia in a new WL and NR of 2,06m. Friedrich cleared 1,93m, 2,00m and 2,06m in the first attempt. Vlasic cleared all heights from 1,89m to 2,03m in her first attempt. But then she failed once at 2,06m at twice at 2,09m. Friedrich also failed at 2,09m three times, but her second attempt looked really good.
Jelena Isinbaeva kept her chances for the jacktpot winning with 4,83m and failing three times at 4,93m – a height that she normally clears easily. Monika Pyrek from Poland came second with 4,78m before her compatriot Anna Rogowska (4,68m) and Fabiana Murer from Brasil (4,68m) who shared rank three. Anna Battke from Germany achieved a new PB of 4,68m.
Sebastian Bayer did not win the mens long jump like most Germans would have liked. He came seventh with 7,95m. Winner Godfrey Mokoena from South Africa continued with another strong performance equalling his SB of 8,33m.
Finlands Tero Pitkämäki showed great shape achieving 86,53m before his all-time rival Andreas Thorkildsen from Norway who still threw strong 85,48m.
World leader Kerron Stewart from Jamaica fulfilled her duty and won the 100m in 11,00s as expected far ahead of Stephanie Durst from the United States (11,15s) and Sheri-Ann Brooks (11,18s) from Jamaica. The mens 100m were won by Daniel Bailey from Antigua clocking 10,03s in front of Britains Simeon Williamson (10,13s).
Three Americans dominated the 110m hurdles race and delivered a great fight for the spectators. Dexter Faulk was the strongest and won with 13,18s. 63.896 spectators saw and celebrated Ethiopias Kenenisa Bekele´s win in the 5.000m event with good 13:00,76min. Damu Cherry clocked excellent 12,76s in the 100m hurdles race keeping Jamaica´s Delloreen Ennis-London at a distance (12,98s). In two relay duels always Great Britain prevailed over home squads (men: 38.52-38.79, women: 43.18-43.28).
STORL WORLD JUNIOR RECORD
MANNHEIM (GER, June 13): German shot put world junior and youth champion David Storl achieved something special at International Junior Gala meet. With 6 kg implement tossed to 22.34 what is new world junior record. The former mark 21.96 was by Croatian Edis Elkasevic from 2002. In senior 110 m hurdles here interesting improvement by Alexander John who clocked in two races 13.35 (+0.5) and 13.42 (-0.4).
FAST GULIYEV 10.08 AND 20.42
ISTANBUL (TUR, June 13): At 64th Cezmi Or Memorial (EA Classic Meet) in Istanbul in good weather fast sprints by Azerbaijan junior Ramil Guliyev. The 2007 world youth medalist improved his national record at 100 m to 10.08 (+1.3) what is the second fastest European junior ever. Only Briton Dwain Chambers with his 10.06 from 1997 is better. Guliyev who made also the 60 metres final in March at European Indoor Championships later improved at 200 m to another senior national record 20.42 (+0.5). This is fourth fastest European junior ever. The 100 m mark was also new meet record. Another high quality meet record was achieved by Turkish Turkan Erismis with 9:28.84 in women steeple (also a national record). Slovak triple jump record holder Dmitrij Valukevic leaped to windy 17.30 (+3.1, 17.04 legal) ahead of Bulgarian Momchil Karailiev (17.20, +2.2, 17.07). Russian Yekaterina Martynova clocked meet record at 1500 m (4:08.68) ahead of Sonja Roman of Slovenia (4:09.16). Kazakh record holder in triple jump Olga Rypakova achieved wind-assisted 14.47 (+2.2, legal 14.32 +0.2). Romanian discus thrower Nicoleta Grasu achieved 61.66 win and Bosnian shot putter Hamza Alic also good 20.30. Tajikistan Dilshod Nazarov won the hammer (78.37). 2005 WOrld champion Yuri Krymarenko of Ukraine did not win the high jump, he was third with 224 on count-back (before him Greek Konstantinos Baniotis and Bahamian Trevor Barry).
J. BORLEE 44.78
FAYTTEVILLE (USA, June 13): Europeans dominated the 400 m finals at NCAA Championships final day. Belgian Jonathan Borlee improved to national record and European lead 44.78 ahead of Briton Michael Bingham who also improved to 45.09. 20 years old Joanna Atkins improved in women´s 400 m to excellent 50.39. Another great young performance was the new US junior record by triple jump winner Will Claye who achieved 17.19 (+2.0) but also winning 17.24 (+2.5). His legal mark is 8th junior perfomer ever. Ronnie Ash clocked 13.27 PB against -2.0 to win the 110 m hurdles, other sprints finals were hampered by strong wind. Porscha Lucas 22.81 (-1.2) at 200 m, Tffany Ofili 12.96 (-0.7) at 100 m hurdles and Charles Clark 20.55 (-1.6) in men´s 200 m. German Fernandez confirmed his favorite role with 3:39.00 1500 m win (still a junior), Andrew Wheating also fulfilled the ambitions with 1:46.21 800 m win. More European wins for Dutch Susan Kuijken at 1500 m (4:13.05) and Croatian Martin Maric in discus (59.82). Florida with Borlee twins won the 4×400 m in 2:59.99 what was close to college record (Jonathan Borlee anchored with 43.78) ahead of Texas AM (3:00.91) and Baylor (3:01.12). Texas won the women 4×400 m in 3:28.51 ahead of LSU 3:28.82. But Texas AM won both team titles. Last time both titles for the same school were in 1990 for LSU when Pat Henry was the coach as this year with Texas AM.
KIRDYAPKIN WON AND QUALIFIED
CHEBOKSARY (RUS, June 14): World champion 2005 Sergey Kirdyapkin won the Russian 50 km title in 3:49:04 and qualified to World Championships. Second Sergey Bakulin (3:54:36) ahead Sergey Melentyev (4:04:45). Also before selected were Denis Nizhegorodov and Yuriy Andronov.
OTHER RESULTS
VICTORIA (CAN, June 10): Canadian shot putter Dylan Armstrong registered his second career-best 20.92 at the meet here.
CHULA VISTA (USA, June 13): Pan-Am games bronze medalist Bashir Ramzy leaped to solid 811 (+0.4) in long jump.
ONATI (ESP, June 13): Kenyan Peter Kirui beat in 10 km road race (29:04) the home favorite Jose Luis Martinez (29:34).
CIUDAD REAL (ESP, June 13): Spanish shot putter Manuel Martinez achieved good 20.25 at Championships of Federations in Spain.
LEIDEN (NED, June 13): At Gouden Spike (Golden Spike) meet the fastest Dutch Patrik Van Luijk posted 10.44 against -1.5 and 20.54 with +2.4 aid. Briton Richard Strachan won the 400 m in 45.74 and South African Samson Ngoepe the 800 m in 1:46.22. Former European indoor champion Gregory Sedoc won the hurdles in 13.52 (-0.4) and US Garrett Johnson beat in Shot Put Australian Scott Martin (20.12-20.01). Ireland´s Mark Christie posted 7:50.23 at 3000 m.
KUORTANE (FIN, June 13): Hungarian Krisztian Pars remains unbeaten also after International meet in Kuortane with 79.61 in hammer throw. Ari Mannio won the javelin with good 83.03 m. Steeple european champion Jukka Keskisalo posted good 3000 m flat 7:53.64.
GOLD COAST (AUS, June 14): Olympic hurdles medalist Sally McLellan competed at home and improved her 200 m PB to 23.02 (-0.4), she also won the 100 m in 11.43 (-1.1). Tristan Thomas achieved solid 49.38 at 400 m hurdles and Mitchell Watt leaped to 810 (+0.9) in long jump.
SOFIA (BUL, June 13-14): Bulgarian European medalists Vanya Stambolova (52.03 at 400 m) and improved Venelina Veneva with 195 in high jump achieved the best results at Bulgarian Championships. Ivet Lalova returned after injury with 11.61 100 m win. Nikolay Atanasov leaped to 798 in long jump with best result on the men side.
OTHER NEWS
LONDON (GBR): Dick Pound, the former chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency, has said that convicted drugs cheat Dwain Chambers should be allowed to run for Britain at the 2012 Olympics in London. Insidethegames.com informs. The Londoner, named as Britain’s 100 metres representative for next weekend’s European Team Championships, is being treated unfairly by being unable to compete in the Olympics. Under the rules of the British Olympic Association, any athlete who has served a suspension for a doping-related offence is ineligible to compete for the country again in the Games. Chambers appealed unsuccessfully against the suspension in London’s High Court last year. Pound said: “He’s served his time. If the penalty for doping was a two year suspension and that’s what’s called for under the [World Anti-Doping] Code, and Britain applies the Code, that’s the only sanction to which he’s liable. If you’re adding something on to that, that’s not in compliance with the Code.â€
CORRECTION
KONIGS-WUSTERHAUSEN (GER): The 1000 m world leading time was achieved by Dmitrijs Jurkevics and Dmitrijs Milkevics who is to fly to Font Romeu for a training camp.
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