by Larry EderMeseret Defar wants to make it quite clear that she will make anyone who challenges her in Berlin pay for each and every hard won meter. Running in Birmingham, GBR on Saturday, July 11, as a guest, Defar clocked 29:52.20! The fifth fastest performance EVER by a women was run with halves of 15:05 and 14:54. For a final kilometer, Meseret Defar ran 2:47.65! In second was Aheza Kiroz, Defar’s teammate, who won the adidas Track Classic 5,000 m last April, in 31:21.22. In third was Lineth Chepkurui of Kenya in 31;31.92.
Meseret Defar, shown in the 5,000 meters at the Beijing Olympics, August 2008,
photo courtesy of Photorun.net.
EME NEWS (JULY 11, 2009)
Williamson 10.05 against wind, Defar sub 30 at 10 km
BIRMINGHAM (GBR, July 11): Reigning European U23 Champion Simeon Williamson is in sub 10 shape. At UK Trials he won the 100 m in rain and against strong -1.8 wind in his second best ever 10.05 what is also European seasonal lead. “I feel I would have liked to have run sub-10 today. I know I am in shape, I’ve got to go and do it now. It’s the equivalent of a sub-10 but it’s not sub-10. I mean that’s the next step for me. That’s the next goal. I like running rounds, because I don’t really perform well in one-off races. My season’s best performance is 10.09 and you have to book your space. Hopefully if I make the final (in Berlin), anything is possible, people can get disqualified. I’m looking to put a really good performance in,†he was quoted by UK Athletics website. He also clearly beat Dwain Chambers (10.22), Tyrone Edgar (10.28) and Craig Pickering (10.33). Another highlight at the end of Saturday´s programme. Ethiopian guest Meseret Defar clocked fifth fastest ever 29:59.20 in her second serious 10 000 m and qualified also in this event for Berlin. She can now contest the double. Her halves were 15:05 and 14:54 (last km 2:47.65). That clearly shows her possibilities in this event also because she was alone doing the pace since third km (9:03.43). Her team-mate Aheza Kiros as second achieved 31:21.22 ahead of Kenyan Lineth Chepkurui (31:31.92). New British record for Kate Dennison who cleared in first 457 and tried at 470 in pole vault. Olympic gold medalist Christine Ohuruogu got the 400 m as expected in 51.26. Joice Maduaka won the 100 m (11.52) and Andy Turner the hurdles with 13.47 against -1.9. Charlene Thomas ruled excellent 1500 m race (4:09.18) ahead of World junior champion Stephanie Twell (4:09.55). In muggy conditions Germaine Mason won on count-back the high jump. He cleared 224 in first, Samson Oni in second and Tom Parsons in third.
Yin Jing is the best Chinese hurdler at the moment
BEOGRAD (SRB, July 11): Portugal´s Sara Moreira won after steeple also the 5000 m (15:32.78) at Universiade in Serbia. 10 k winner Kasumi Nishihara of Japan was second (15:46.95). In the wake of missing Liu Xiang Yin Jing is the best current Chinese high hurdler and he confirmed that with life-time best 13.38 (+0.8) and win here. Moldavian Ion Lucchianov won the steeple in good 8:25.79 beating Turkish games record holder Halil Akkas by 0.01 (8:25.80). Sweden´s Jessica Samuelsson was the best in heptathlon with 6004 over improved Czech Jana Koresova (5956). In technical events Russian Aleksandr Gripich cleared as only one 560 in pole vault and got the gold. Cuba registered two wins. Yarianna Martinez improved to 14.40 (+0.8) and was the best in women triple jump. Mailin Vargas registered winning 18.91 in shot put over Italian Chiara Rosa (18.21). Surprise in men´s 4×100 m heats as one of the favorites Japan were disqualified, Russians were the fastest (39.21).
Sweden and Great Britain with two gold medals
BRESSANONE (ITA, July 11): Sweden´s day at World Youth Championships. Angelica Bengtsson surprised everybody with 432 (yearly youth leader) improvement to win the pole vault. Then Johan Rogestedt beat Kenyan favorites in the 800 m (1:50.92). Great Britain also got two gold medals. Benjamin Williams was the best in triple jump (15.91, +1.1) over long jump title holder Supanara of Thailand (15.70, +1.4) and Katarina Thompson dominated the heptathlon (5750, yearly world youth lead). Other non traditional gold medal countries were Uzbekistan (53.25 in girls javelin by Anastasiya Svechnikova) and Israel (Dmitriy Kroyter with 220 in high jump in count-back over Denmarks Janick Klausen). Cuba got 400 m hurdles boys gold by familiar name Norge Sotomayor (51.30) and US in shot put by Ryan Crouser (21.56, meet record, 5 kg). Russian Vera Rudakova was the best in girls 400 m hurdles over Jamaican favorites (57.83 world youth leader) and Chinese Li Shanshan in the girls discus (51.65). Another Kenya vs. Ethiopia duel in girls 1500 m brought this time gold for Nelly Chebet of Kenya (4:12.76) ahead of Gete Dima of Ethiopia (4:15.16) with bronze going to Serbian Amela Terzic (4:16.71). 100 m winner Briton Jodie Williams was the fastest in girls 200 m semis (23.44, +1.1) and 400 m gold holder Kirani James of Grenada in boys 200 m semis (21.23, +1.4).
OTHER RESULTS
TALLINN (EST, July 11): 24th win in a row for Olympic winner Gerd Kanter at home competition with 68.26 what is new meet record. It was for him 131st time to throw over 65 metres. During the week he also achieved 69.16 in Helsinborg (Tuesday). He is now again looking forward to international meets of European Athletics category, on July 15 in Luzern and July 20 in Rethymno.
KORTRIJK (BEL, July 11): Excellent meet record at Flanders Cup by US relay world champion Leroy Dixon who clocked 10.12 (+1.7) at 100 m. It is also his seasons fastest time. Kelly Willie posted 20.79 (+0.2) at 200 m and Fred Townsend 13.74 (-0.2) at 110 m hurdles. Jamaican Vonette Dixon was the fastest in the 100 m hurdles (13.02, +0.2). Solid distances as Kenyan Daniel Salel went 3:39.89 through 1500 m, Haiti´s Moise Joseph 1:47.77 at 800 m. In women races US wins for Alysia Johnson (2:02.35) and Lauren Hagans (4:10.97).
VESZPREM (HUN, July 11): Hammer thrower Eva Orban achieved the best result (70.16) at 51st Balaton Championships.
BONDOUFLE (FRA, July 11): Dimitri Bascou clocked life-time best 13.52 (+0.4) to win the French U23 title. It is second best result in Europe in U23 category at 110 m hurdles.
KAPFENBERG (AUT, July 11): Russian Tatyana Dektyareva won the 100 m hurdles with 13.23 (-0.4) at 3rd meet of Austrian TOP 4 series. Czech Martina Sestakova won the triple jump (13.74, -0.2).
NEWS
REIMS (FRA): 35-years old French sprinter Christine Arron is coming back on Tuesday at Alma Athle Tour meet in Reims. After health problems and injuries (calf a month ago) she is now in good training and hopes to qualify for World Championships in Berlin. If running well she would be ready to compete also at AREVA Meeting on Friday. To qualify she needs to achieve 11.30.
ROME (ITA): Asafa Powell clocked his 50th and 51st sub 10 seconds at Golden Gala on Friday. The “world record†is 52 by Maurice Greene during seven years time span (1997-2004). Powell clocked 51 sub 10 seconds in five years (2004-2009). His 10 best times average is all-time high 9.779. Bolt has so far 9.813 and Maurice Greene final average is 9.848. Powell runs next race on Sunday at international meet in Lignano Sabbiadoro (Italy) where he is having his summer European base. His next big races are not yet confirmed.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News.
For more on the sport of running, please click http://www.runningnetwork.com
