by Larry Eder
Phillip Idowu, on the cover of SPIKES magazine, autumn 2009
At the 8th Samsung Galan indoor Meet, it is Phillip Idowu, 2009 WC gold, triple jump versus local fave Christian Olsson, 2004 Olympic gold medalist. Walter Davis, US triple jumper and world leader will also be there…..
EME NEWS (FEB 1, 2010)
IDOWU VS. OLSSON
GOTEBORG (SWE): The 8th Samsung Galan indoor meet (EA Indoor Permit) will have in Scandinavium Hall as highlight men´s triple jump. Local hero and 2004 Olympic winner Christian Olsson is back and will compete against current world champion Philips Idowu of Great Britain. For Olsson first international meet since DN Galan in 2008. First 17+ mark of the season could be registered also because former world champion Walter Davis of USA is entered (current world leader with 16.99) and strong Cubans David Giralt, Yoandri Betanzos and Alexis Copello. In special three events match in 60 m hurdles, long jump and shot put world champion Trey Hardee will clash with Cuban Leonel Suarez and best home athlete Nicklas Wiberg. Unfortunately another top star Blanka Vlasic canceled on Sunday her participation with following explanation which was published on the meeting website: “My doctor has informed me that if I would not recover now completely this could harm my whole indoor season and maybe I would need to cancel all my competitions including World Indoors. Therefore and (you could believe me) heavy-hearted I have had to accept the decision to cancel my participation in Göteborg. Also the following meetings are still not confirmed due to my illness. Believe me I feel very bad as this has happened to me now two times in a row with Göteborg.†The favorites of this event are so US Chaunte Howard, Russian Svetlana Shkolina, Kazakhstan´s Marina Aitova and best Swedish jumper Emma Green who will debut into the season. In other highlights olympic medalist David Oliver from USA runs the 60 m hurdles. In women´s hurdles former US Champion Danielle Carruthers will compete with olympic finalist Sarah Claxton of Great Britain and Russian European Indoor 2007 silver winner Aleksandra Antonova. Fresh 571 Belgian record jumper Kevin Rans will have to beat to win in pole vault Ukrainian Berlin fourth placer Maksim Mazuryk and German Tim Lobinger. As usual capacity crowd is expected.
OTHER NEWS
BOISE (USA): Former Boise State sprinter Nick Cunningham (10.61 and 21.15) is yet another sprinter to make it to the US bobsled team for the upcoming winter Olympics in Vancouver. Cunningham took on the idea four years ago, but only started training 18 months ago in the US bobsled program. He was an alternate for much of the 2008-09 season, although making it in the USA-3 sled for the world championships. He started this season as an alternate too, but has succeeded in becoming a regular on USA-3. „The four of us together had to really fight to make it,“ Cunningham said in the Idaho Statesman. “We‘re so fired up. We‘re the darkhorse of not only the USA team but of the world. Nobody expects us to go up there and do anything and that really motivates the four of us.“
HOBART (AUS): In the first leg of the 2010 IAAF race walking challenge (Hobart, National 20 km championships on February 13) the series ventures into the Southern hemisphere for the first time which gives world record holder Nathan Deakes the home advantage. Deakes, who’s return is highly anticipated after a long term injury, is out to impress selectors for this year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Deakes was forced out of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 and the world championships in Berlin in 2009 through injury but has already stated his desire to defend his Commonwealth Games titles in October. A very strong race walking field is assembled in Hobart with Australians Luke Adams, Jared Tallent, Chris Erickson, Adam Rutter and Duane Cousins as well as Mexican Eder Sanchez. In the women’s field Cheryl Webb, Jess Rothwell and Claire Tallent are announced alongside Beijing Olympian Kellie Wapshott in the race for Commonwealth Games selection. For 2010 nine walking meets plus the World Cup and the finals are completing the IAAF Walking Challenge Calendar in 2010.
LONDON (GBR): British retail shop John Lewis is announced to be the latest Olympic sponsor for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games writes insidethegames.biz. John Lewis holds over 29 stores in Great Britain and will open a flagship store, including an Olympic shop, near the Olympic park.
TOOWOOMBA (AUS): Australia’s best shot putter Justin Anlezark has decided to end his career. The triple Olympian saw his potential wrecked in recent years with an ongoing string of injuries, but in the end took the decision to spend more time with his family, that is soon to be expanded with a baby. “Basically it’s time to get that financial solitude as well and focus my attentions on others areas rather than being an elite athlete†Anlezark was quoted. He has already established a program called Pro Active Future, aimed at teaching school children and youngsters involved with Little Athletics about nutrition, fitness and goal setting.
BUDAPEST (HUN): After this weekend in All-Athletics.com meetings rankings in 2010 indoor season Karlsruhe leads (43 620) ahead of Millrose Games (43 351) and Aviva Match in Glasgow (42 017).
KARLSRUHE (GER): Special 4×100 m at the end of the meet saw German team Elbe, Mollinger, Tschirch, Wagner clocking world indoor best of 44.39. Second European select (Maduaka, Popowicz, Brzezinska, Soumare) achieved 45.83.
RESULTS
STOKKE (NOR, Jan 31): Two national indoor records in women pole vault here. Caroline Holm won with 427 what is new national mark for Denmark and Cathrine Larsasen was third and her 417 is new Norway indoor record.
NEW DELHI (IND, Jan 31): T.R. Raghunathan from Police team won the 44th Indian CC championships main 12 km race in 40:14. Soji Mathew from Railways was second (40:26). Lalita Babar of Railways was the best woman in 8 km (27:42). Second Preeti L. Rao was timed at 27:50.
WELLINGTON (NZL, Jan 30): Shaun Krawitz, based in Victoria Australia, won the New Zealand World cross country championships trial at Trentham Memorial Park. Krawitz ran the 12km in 39:54. Kate McIlroy beat Rachel Kingsford and Fiona Crombie to win the women’s 8km trial. McIlroy recorded 29:48, Kingsford 30:18, Crombie 31:43. Informs New Zealand Athletics.
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