by Larry Eder
Yelena Isinbayeva and Asafa Powell, IAF Gala, November 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Yelena Isinbayeva cleared 4.60m, 4.75m, 4.85m, then tries at 5.01 and 5.02m….Rbk BIG meet was probably best ever, in terms of competition, interaction between crowd and announcing (Toni Reavis and Coach, the Celtics announcer,
were great). ESPN2 show was very good on Sunday!
USATF Indoor at Albequerque at end of the month. Team for Doha should be good. As with any first time event, some challenges, ticket sales are slow, no promotion of event from anywhere, and seems like local meet management and head office are having some challenges. Super fast Mondo track, from Staples Center, in Albequerque. US Indoor champs needs to be in place that makes it special, but USATF needs to examine, how the meet is put on, where it is put one, what goals are, as it is not fair to just bring into new environ. No promotion (just like Boston past four years), and Championship events do not celebrate sport.
I have to say, the best indoor meet in country, in my opinion, year after year, is Rbk BIG. Why home office does not just hire Global Athletics & Marketing, and work with Reggie Lewis team, confuses the heck out of me. One can not do everything well, note the successful operations, use them, move on, and make it a memorable event! Our sport can not afford mediocre events.
ISINBAYEVA SATISFIED WITH 485
MOSCOW (RUS, Feb 7): The top Russian indoor meet, the Russian Winter changed its traditional day as they wanted to accommodate Yelena Isinbayeva. The star fulfilled the expectations for the full crowd as she cleared 460, 475 and world leading 485 in first attempt. Then the world record tries came, first two at 501 and third was changed as she did in the past to 502. But no success this time. “I was happy to compete before my fans and supporters at home. Because it was my first competition this winter I m satisfied. First three jumps were good, then at 501 i changed the poles to stiffer ones and now I see that was a mistake I should remain wit the previous ones. I wanted to give to the excellent public a gift but it did not happen. But since now Russian Winter meet remains in my heart,†she said after debuting at the competition. She will now have a longer break until Sergey Bubka Donetsk meet on March 6. Behind her Yulia Golubchikova had 470, Svetlana Feofanova 460, Tatyana Polnova 450 and Poland´s Monika Pyrek also 450. Two more world leads in championships events were registered. Sensational the improvement of 19 years old Darya Klishina in long jump. She will be still a junior this year and has golds from World Youth 2007 and European Junior 2009. In fifth attempt she achieved 680 and in last one even better 687 what is also Russian indoor junior record. She missed the unofficial world junior indoor record of Haike Daute (at that time) only by 1 cm (688 in 1983). Second Olga Kucherenko had 671 cm. Another world number one result in women´s 800 m by Mariya Savinova who clocked 1:59.23 ahead of British world medalist Jennifer Meadows (2:00.71). Here 2007 world champion Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya was 6th (2:12.04). Other top women results by home athletes. Tatyan Dektyareva improved to 7.94 at 60 m hurdles and beat Lolo Jones who came from Stuttgart (8.02). Yulia Katsura won the 60 m in personal best 7.20 and over reigning European indoor champion Yevgeniya Polyakova (7.24). Darya Safonova was the best in the 400 m (51.90). Men´s highlight was 7th fastest ever and Russian record for Yuriy Borzakovskiy at 600 m in 1:16.02. Olympic Beijing medalist Ahmed Ismail of Sudan was second (1:16.12) and Beijing winner Wilfred Bungei third (1:17.36). Fast also Lithuanian Vitaliy Kozlov in another heat 1:17.20 (national best). After Dusseldorf 1500 m another South African record for Juan Van Deventer who won the 3000 m in 7:49.91. Eighth Vyacheslav Shabunin again improved the 40+ masters world indoor record to 8:01.44. Yevgeniy Borisov started his international campaign with 7.65 hurdles win. US Mark Jelks dominated the 60 m (6.64) and his team-mate Greg Nixon was the best in the 400 m (46.72). Here second Rabah Yusif clocked Sudan indoor record 46.97. But faster the winner of second race Dmitriy Buryak (46.83). In technical events Ivan Ukhov managed to come after his Arnstadt win and cleared 232 in first. Then had two jumps at 235 and one at 241. Second Aleksandr Shustov improved his PB 232 in second attempt. US Dusty Jonas and returning olympic winner Andrey Silnov (in his first indoor meet since 2008) tied for third with 225 cm. Ukrainian Andriy Makarchev won the long jump with indoor PB 804 cm.
INDOOR
PRAHA (CZE, Feb 7): European indoor medalist from Torino, hurdler Lucie Skrobakova won at Grand Prix Olymp international meet in 8.08 and qualified to Doha at 60 m hurdles. Interestingly in her event 8th the javelin world record holder Barbora Spotakova clocking 8.98 (and even faster 8.91 in heats). In shot put Jana Karnikova improved her overall best to 17.30 and Spotakova was third (14.13). In the men´s 60 m hurdles young Martin Mazac (last year junior) who trains together with Petr Svoboda improved to excellent 7.80. Kenyan guest Cornelius Ndiwa won the 1500 m in 3:44.77 and Jan Marcell got 19.92 in shot put. Jirina Ptacnikova cleared 440 in pole vault and Slovak Jana Veldakova leaped to 643 in long jump. Former long jump talent versatile Denisa Rosolova (formerly Scerbova) improved at 400 m to solid 53.12 and is leading the efforts of Czech women to qualify for Doha in the relay. They need four times average 53.5, so far they have 53.7.
APELDOORN (NED, Feb 7): Yvonne Hak had another very good 800 m solo race during second day of Dutch Indoor Championships and achieved 2:03.05. Later she declared no intention to run in Doha, but wants to prepare for European Championships in Barcelona. Brian Mariano (runs for Netherland Antilles) won the 60 m in 6.70 and Gregory Sedoc the 60 m hurdles in 7.65. Two good technical results. Pole vaulter Robbert Jansen improved to 560 and shot putter former world junior champion Melissa Boekelman came close by 3 cm to her lifetime best with 17.71 m.
BELFAST (GBR, Feb 7): During second day of Irish Championships 2006 world indoor champion Derval O´Rourke started with 8.18 into the season. Paul Hession won the 60 m as expected in 6.75 and Deirdre Byrne confirmed solid shape with another good time 4:14.63 at 1500 m.
ANCONA (ITA, Feb 7): New Serbian 1500 m record here for Goran Nava with 3:40.66. The day before Ana Giordano Bruno cleared Italian indoor pole vault record 450 cm.
SHEFFIELD (GBR, Feb 7): Chris Parsons cleared 224 in high jump and Chris Bailie ran the 60 m hurdles in 7.79.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR, Feb 7): Callum Priestley who is last year European U23 medalist improved at Birmingham Games to 7.68 at 60 m hurdles. Tim Abeyie won the 200 m in 21.04.
SPALA (POL, Feb 7): At local meet good 7.74 of Dominik Bochenek at 60 m hurdles and Marcin Marciniszyn achieved 47.14 at 400 m. Lukasz Michalski went over 560 in pole vault.
UDINE (ITA, Feb 7): Fast 60 m by Jacques Riparelli who was timed at 6.68.
NEWPORT NEWS (USA, Feb 6): Top hurdler Anwar Moore is back after injuries with 7.25 win here at 55 m hurdles.
MUFREESBORO (USA, Feb 6): Jamaican Eric Keddo posted so far the fastest of the year 7.16 at 55 m hurdles.
TASHKENT (UZB, Feb 5): Nadezhda Dusanova cleared 190 to win the army championships.
OUTDOOR
BILBAO (ESP, Feb 7): Turkish runners won 3 out of 4 individual races at the European Champion Clubs Cup competition in cross country. In teams two titles for Russia and one for Turkey and Spain. European CC Champion from Dublin Alemayehu Bezabeh of Spanish side Bikila Toledo won the 10.030 km race in 32:19 ahead of his team-mate Ayad Lamdassem (32:20) and Italian Gabriele De Nard (32:28). Bikila scored 36 points ahead of Fiamme Gialle of Italy (42) and Portugal´s Conforlimpa (60). European indoor champion Alemitu Bekele of Turkish Club Uskudar Belediyesi won the women´s 6.25 km after 21:38. Just one second ahead of her team-mate Ethiopian guest Belaynesh Olijera (21:39) and third Norway´s running talent Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal (22:08). SC Moscow won teams here with just one point over Turkish squad (51-52), third Italian Esercito (56). In junior races wins for Turkish runners Emin Tan in boys 6.25 km (20:53) and Esma Aydemir in girls 4.36 km (16:31). Luch Moscow was the best junior girl team (23) and Fenerbahce of Turkey the best junior men (18). Turkish junior boys won all so far contested races in the history of the competition.
GRANNOLERS (ESP, Feb 7): Boston and Chicago marathon winner Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot in preparation for spring marathon won the half race at the 25th edition of Granollers in 1:02:02. Erick Kibet was just one second behind (1:02:03) and Spanish Chema Martinez third 1:03:13. Kenyan women also dominated their race as Joyce Chepkerui achieved 1:12:58 and Monica Jepkoech 1:13:09.
TORREMOLINOS (ESP, Feb 7): Kenyan Thomas Kipkosgei won the 22nd half-marathon here after 1:05:38.
KINGSTON (JAM, Feb 6): New Jamaican high jump record for Sheree Francis who cleared 191 cm.
SAVONA (ITA, Feb 7): Good hammer throw for Italian Silvia Salis 70.26 m.
DHAKA (BAN, Feb 7): Second day of 11th South Asian Games registered solid javelin for Indian Kashinath Naik 74.27 m. Sri Lankan high jumper Priyangika Madumanthi cleared 181 to win.
AMURIA (UGA, Feb 6): Moses Kipsiro won his third national CC title at 12 km in 32:42. Best woman at 8 km Adero Nyakisi achieved 25:45.
CHEBORORWA (KEN, Feb 6): James Keter won the North Rift province CC championships with 33:24 at 12 km. Peter Kamais was second (33:34) and steeple runner Yusuf Biwott third (33:38).
NANYUKI (KEN, Feb 6): South Rift province CC Champions were crowned Amos Kiprop (35:40 at 12 km) and Caroline Chepkwony (8 km in 28:24).
NYANZA (KEN, Feb 6): At Nyanza South province Justs Mogere won the men´s 12 km (36:19) and Risper Gesabwa women´s 8 km (28:14).
CORRECTION
SOUTH BEND (USA): The time of Kirani James is not national indoor record for Grenada. Alleyne Francique, the double world indoor champion from this country clocked 45.35 in 2002. The track in South Bend is 352 y long.
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