by Larry Eder
Blanka Vlasic, Greece, 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Blanka Vlasic cleared 2.03m, and made three good attempts at 2.09m. A great weekend of athletics! And we have much of it here! Read on, athletics fans!
EME NEWS (FEB 21, 2010) UPDATE
VLASIC 203 IN SPLIT
SPLIT (CRO, Feb 21): Home hero Blanka Vlasic won the 4th Slobodna Dalmacija High Jump women meet in Split with new event best 203. She improved the mark from last year by 1 cm. After that she gave the 12 000 spectators in Spaladium Arena three tries at new world record height 209 cm. “It was tough and very emotional. I had so many supporters today and they expected something special from me. The surface was hard, maybe because it is new. I was not very comfortable with it. The goal was to win and jump meet record and that was fulfilled, †said Vlasic. But the number of spectators is record for this winter in Europe in athletics. Last meet of Vlasic before Doha will be high jump event in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia on March 4. Second Russian Svetlana Shkolina cleared 195, third Emma Green of Sweden 192 and fourth Briton Vikki Hubbard improved to 192 and jumped Doha standard.
SANTOS WINS AT HOME
OLHAO (POR, Feb 21): Berlin 5th placer and current indoor world leader at 3000 m home Vera Santos won the 20 km race at the Meeting Marcha Atl. Cidade de Olhao which qualifies for IAAF Walking Challenge and has EA Permit. In the 10th edition she clocked 1:30:09 ahead of her team-mates Ana Cabecinha (1:32:36) and Ines Henriques (1:33:47). First foreign athlete was Laura Polli of Switzerland as fourth (1:39:57) ahead of Czech Zuzana Schindlerova (1:40:48). French Bertrand Moulinet won the 20 km and improved his lifetime best to 1:25:16. Home Sergio Vieira was second in 1:28:36. European medalist Joao Vieira did not finish because of injury. Dionisio Ventura was national 50 km walk champion in 4:06:07. With help of IAAF.
MELKAMU WITH CC AMBITIONS
ADDIS ABABA (ETH, Feb 21): Berlin 10 000 m silver winner Meselech Melkamu confirmed her intention to concentrate to cross country. She won the Ethiopian trials at the Jan Meda course in 27:36 at 8 km. Second was marathon runner Mamitu Daska (27:39) and third Werknesh Kidane (28:20). Genzebe Dibaba still a junior fighting with seniors went out because of pain. In the men´s 12 km race new Bekele Azmeraw won in 37:23 ahead of Ayele Abshiro (37:28) and Abera Kuma (37:29). World champion Gebre Gebremariam did not run due to illness. In the junior ranks, Afera Gedefe grabbed a shock victory in the women’s race, while Berhanu Delele was a comfortable winner of the corresponding men’s race. Writes Elshadai Negash.
FIRST SUB 2:10 IN EUROPE THIS YEAR
VALENCIA (ESP): Over 3610 runners were entered but it was Kenyan David Njagi who posted the second fastest marathon time ever on Spanish soil at the 30th Valencia Marathon. Njangi posted a time of 2:09:45 what is new course record, his PB (2:11:47 from last Eindhoven was the previous one) and it is the first sub 2:10 in Europe this year. Second Joseph Langat (2:10:24) and third Ben Kimwole (2:10:30) posted sub 2:11 times. In the women‘s race Kenyan Gladys Chebet won miles ahead of number two in 2:42:06. Second Valentina Delion of Moldova clocked 2:44:40.
NATIONAL INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
GENT (BEL, Feb 21): At the Belgian Championships yet another athlete managed to qualify for Doha. In the 60m hurdles Damien Broothaerts ran 7.70 and can book his ticket. But he was beaten by Adrian Deghelt who clocked 7.68. Broothaerts also won the 60 m in 6.80. The women‘s race was won by French Sandra Gomis, 8.01, European indoor champion Eline Berings was second in 8.10. Doha bound Elisabeth Davin won the 60 in 7.33 with Berings second in 7.39. In the triple jump Svetlana Bolshakova jumped another Belgian record with 1383. Junior Hanne Vanhessche jumped 183 which means she qualifies for the world junior championships in Canada later this year. Antiguan guest James Grayman cleared new national indoor record 224 in high jump.
TARTU (EST, Feb 21): European indoor champion Ksenija Balta won the long jump at Estonian Championships with 657 cm. Combined eventers were also winners. Mikk Pahapill in long jump (749) and Andres Raja the 200 m (21.95).
TURKU (FIN, Feb 21): Best result during second day of Finnish Championships by 2005 world medalist Tommi Evila in long jump (787).
MAGGLINGEN (SUI, Feb 21): Nicole Buchler cleared new Swiss record in pole vault 447 in the second day of National Championships. Lisa Urech again improved her national U23 60 m hurdles record with good 8.00.
STANGE (NOR, Feb 21): Stine Kufaas cleared 187 in high jump during second day of Norwegian Championships.
SLOVENSKA BISTRICA (SLO, Feb 21): Slovenian Shot put indoor champion Miran Vodovnik improved his season best to 19.72 m. Other events were held in Ljubljana on Saturday or on the track earlier in the month in Vienna.
VOLGOGRAD (RUS, Feb 21): Yekaterina Efimova posted 52.13 at 400 m at Russian U23 Championships. Ivan Tekhtachev won the 800 m in 1:48.43.
APELDOORN (NED, Feb 21): Elco Sintnicolaas scored 5881 in heptathlon at Dutch CE Championships. Karin Ruckstuhl tried with first pentathlon after some time but was not able to continue after three events (8.26-186-12.80). Winner Remona Fransen collected 4172 points.
VIENNA (AUT, Feb 21): Roland Schwarzl improved his national heptathlon record at national CE Championships with 6065 points. In high jump, hurdles and at pole vault he had three personal bests. All his results: 7.30-752-14.60-202-8.14-530-2:45.96. Second Dominik Distelberger (19) improved hugely to 5854 points. Foreign guests ruled in women pentathlon. Poland´s Karolina Tyminska scored excellent 4685 what means in the rankings of athletes for Doha based on 2010 third place. She will be most probably invited as third with Chernova and Fountain. Her results: 8.47-175-14.96-640-2:13.66. Second Ida Marcussen of Norway had 4143 points.
OTHER RESULTS
OSTERBRO (DEN, Feb 21): Excellent long jump for Morten Jensen at home meet with 803 in second and 806 in sixth series.
BUDAPEST (HUN, Feb 21): Lajos Kurthy achieved in shot put 20.23 m.
LIVORNO (ITA, Feb 21): Nicola Vizzoni posted in hammer 76.25 m.
PRETORIA (RSA, Feb 20): New South African junior pole vault record for Cheyne Rahme at regional meet. He cleared 547 to be better by one cm as Okkert Brits in 1992.
APELDOORN (NED, Feb 21): Czech winners at 37th Midwinter marathon here. Pavel Brydl clocked 2:27:24 and Petra Kaminkova 2:52:45.
VOLPIANO (ITA, Feb 21): Hungarian Aniko Kalovics won as guest the 6 km (21:07) at Italian CC Clubs Championships. Second Elena Romagnolo had 21:11. Moroccan Asmae Ghizlane was the best in women´s 4 km in 14:32. The only Italian win for Cosimo Caliandro in the 4 km (12:25). 35-years old Moroccan Kaddour Slimani was the best in men´s 10 km in 30:30. Second Andrea Lalli (30:32) ahead of Kenyan Abraham Talam (30:34). Next Italian 6th Gabriele De Nard (30:39).
HARO (ESP, Feb 21): Men of Bikila and women of FC Barcelona won Spanish CC Club titles. In the men´s 12.05 km Ayad Lamdassem won (38:00) beating Carles Castillejo (38:03) and Javier Guerra (38:20). Fresh European record holder at 3000 m was able again switch to terrain. Sergio Sanchez won the 4.05 km in 11:55.
OUME (JPN, Feb 21): Takashi Ota won the 30 km race here after 1:31:54. Briton Mara Yamauchi was the best in women race after 1:43:24 ahead of Hiromi Ominami (1:43:49).
SOCHI (RUS, Feb 21): During second day of Russian Winter Walking Championships junior 10 000 m events were staged in the stadium. Valeriy Filipchuk won in 40:34 ahead of Konstantin Kulagov 40:51 and Dmitriy Cheparev 41:00. All three are coming from Mordovia.
