by Brian Eder
Usain Bolt, May 21, 2010, Shanghai, China, photos courtesy of PhotoRun.net.
Usain Bolt is one of the most popular athletes on the planet, period. The guy can get a crowd anywhere in the world! His sense of humor, his attitude, but most of all, his fearless racing has enthralled an entire new generation across the globe. Athletics has an historic opportunity to move up the global sports food chain with Bolt running over the next few years! It is no different in Shanghai, as he was mobbed in his own press conference and also the IAAF Diamond League press conference. The folks at PUMA must be smiling…
In China, only Xiang outpulls Bolt. With two stars of this nature, the crowd should be huge tomorrow. Liu Xiang was very honest in his assessment of his fitness yesterday. The level of fitness that he reached in 2004, 2005 and 2007 is not back as of yet. His achilles surgery requires him to take a more thoughtful and tentative approach, and that takes time.
Bolt, on the other hand, just ran a relaxed World leading 9.86 on Wednesday, in Daegu, Korea. My guess, if Bolt ran all out right now, he could run a legal 9.72-9.75! We shall see!
Usain Bolt, PUMA Shanghai press conference, May 21, 2010, Photo by PhotoRun.net.
EME NEWS (MAY 22, 2010)
PRE-SHANGHAI
INFOS
SHANGHAI (CHN): Steven Hooker of Australia and Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway
took part in an IAAF Diamond League press conference in Shanghai. Thorkildsen
is excited about the Diamond League, about new competitive places like Shanghai
and New York, some out of Europe. For Hooker the new type and structure of the
season is the biggest challenge to compete all the way from May through to
October, to the Commonwealth Games. “I think I have to believe I can
break the World record. That’s my goal that I’m working for. I’m aware that
it’s a 16-year-old record and it’s not going to be easy to achieve that,”
said Hooker. Usain Bolt favored in Shanghai Argentina to win football World
Cup. He talked to the press at Puma store in Shanghai.
BAILEY
INJURED
FAYETTEVILLE (USA): World long jump 2010 leader Jamaican Alain Bailey
will miss the NCAA Outdoor Championships next month (9-12 June) with a knee
injury. Informs Trackalerts.com.
RUSSIAN
EUROPEAN CHAMPS WALK SELECTION
MOSCOW (RUS): Russia’s Andrey Krivov and Vera Sokolova, who
finished third and fourth respectively in the men’s and women’s 20km Walk at
the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Chihuahua, Mexico, last weekend, have been
selected for the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona this summer. The
rest of the Russian team, who can all be expected to be contenders for medals
in all the walking events in Mexico and who can boast of all three individual
gold medallists at the World Championships last summer, will be selected at a later
stage. Selection is guaranteed for reigning world champions Valeriy Borchin,
Sergey Kirdyapkin and Olga Kaniskina. Russian Championships on June 12-13 in Cheboksary will be the
base for the rest of the team. Valery Filpchuk and Anna Lukyanova, who got the
individual bronze medals in the junior 10km races in Chihuahua were also
selected for the World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada, in July after
their performances in Mexico.National junior champions will be added as second
representatives.
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TOP
RESULTS
HAVANA (CUB, May 21): World and olympic medalist Yarelis Barrios has thrown
65.10 at the National Games. Men discus winner Jorge Fernandez achieved 63.73.
In women triple jump in absence of world champion Yargelis Savigne (competes in
Shanghai) the winner Yarianna Martinez got 14.22. Yuniel Hernandez
clocked 13.73 at 110 m
hurdles.
LOS CABOS (MEX, May 21): Mexican record holder, Giovanni Lanaro cleared 5.60 in the pole vault,
during his first attempt to win the 2010 Mexican National Championship.
Juan Luis Barrios established a new national record of 3:38.66 in the 1500 meters. The old
record (3:41.87) was previously held by Pablo Solares.
HOORN (NED, May 22): In the second meeting of the SPAR baancircuit in Hoorn
Yvonne Langen-Wisse marked the best performance with a 641 jump in the
long jump. Marcel Van der Westen managed a decent 13.78 in the 110
Hurdles (+2.8) with runner-up US Fredrick Townsend 13.81. Brian Mariano won the
100m in 10.37. Dutch Junior Jamile Samuel qualified for the IAAF World junior
championships in the 100m with a time of 11.64. Lars Timmerman, who was
already selected for Moncton, threw a new Dutch junior record of 75.00
with the javelin.
WEINHEIM (GER, May 22): Kurpfalz Gala meet saw fast sprinting. Swiss athlete
Marc Schneeberger ran a European leading 20.61 (0.0) in the 200 m ahead of Till Helmke
(20.69). In the 100 m
windy 10.19 (+2.3) for Christian Blum. Fastest legal time in heats 10.34 (+1.3)
by Alexander Kosenkow. Jens Werrmann won the 110 m hurdles in 13.56 (+1.5)
and was faster in heats 13.51 (+0.4). Another European lead for Christian Reif
in long jump (822, +1.6 and had also 815 in his series). Germany posted also good
39.10 to win the 4×100 m. In women races Nadine Hildebrand achieved 13.02
(+0.7) in the 100 m
hurdles. Germany achieved 43.35
in the 4×100 m and in other race the junior squad also
impressive 44.04. Bianca Kappler leaped to 670 (+0.6) in long jump.
OSTRAVA (CZE, May 22): First round of Czech Club League registered two European
leads. Hurdlers record holder Petr Svoboda achieved 13.42 (+1.8) and former
long jump talent Denisa Rosolova improved to 23.12 (+1.1) in the 200 m. Behind second Martin
Mazac improved to excellent 13.64, he is only first year senior and eligible
for European U23 held next year in Ostrava. Rosolova was impressive in the 100 m with windy 11.32
(+4.0). All three also qualified to Barcelona. Also qualifiyng marks for Lenka
Masna in the 800 m (2:01.32) and Zuzana Bergrova at 400 m hurdles (56.37 PB). 400 m hurdles record holder
Zuzana Hejnova won 400 m
flat in 52.99 and 100 m
hurdles in 13.18 (+2.6). Jan Veleba was the fastest sprinter in 10.35 (+2.8).
In technical events Jirina Ptacnikova cleared 435 in pole vault and tried
on her outdoor PB 456. Slovak Renata Medgyesova won the long jump (659, +1.2).
Roman Sebrle tested his shape before Gotzis with 14.61 over the hurdles, 13.78 in shot put and 45.48 in discus.
BERN (SUI, May 22): Kenyan Daniel Chebii won the 10 miles in Bern in 48:52.
Runner up Vasil Matviychuk from Ukraine (49:12) narrowly beat Eritraian Simon
Tesfaye (49:22). Kenyan Paul Kipkorir was fourth in 49:29. In the women’s race
Hungarian Aniko Kalovics easily won from Kenyan Tabita Gichia with 56:02 over
57:48. Third Maja Neuenschwander managed 58:10 with fourth Tetyana Mezentseva
from Ukraine in the same time.
LIEGE (BEL, May 22): Elisabeth Davin managed 13.38 here to win the Wallonian
championships.
ANTONY (FRA, May 22): Former European Champion Muriel Hurtis-Houairi continues
with 400 m
races and clocked this time 52.94.
TARTU (EST, May 21): At Student meet Anna Iljustsenko cleared solid 192 in high jump.
GOTEBORG (SWE, May 22): Kenyan James Kiprono Kirui won the Goteborg
Half-marathon in 1:01:10. Best European was Iaroslav Muschinschi of Moldova
with 1:04:27 as 8th. Ethiopian Amane Gobena was the best woman in 1:11:40 ahead
of Swedish Isabellah Andersson (1:13:29).
SAARBRUCKEN (GER, May 22): World and olympic medalist Christina Obergfoll
achieved here solid 65.95
in women javelin. In men competition Barcelona standard
for Mattias De Zordo (81.58).
MUNCHEN (GER, May 22): Tim Lobinger cleared 550 in pole vault and Kenyan
James Cangogo posted 3:39.14 in the 1500 m.
ENGEN (GER, May 22): Tobias Scherbarth achieved 571 at pole vault meet.
MOSCOW (RUS, May 22): World Youth all-time best during second day of European
Youth Olympic Games Trials. Swedish Angelica Bengtsson who cleared 442 and 446 in girls pole vault.
Israeli Dmitriy Kroyter cleared 220
in high jump. Nadezhda Leontyeva won for Russia 5000 m walk (22:24.95). In
long jump wins for home Sergey Morgunov (744) and German Lena Malkus (644).
BREST (BLR, May 22): At Belarus National Cup meet excellent 21.81 by Andrey
Mikhnevich in shot put, second Pavel Lyzhyn also impressive 21.21. In men´s
hammer Pavel Krivitskiy achieved second best mark in the world this year 80.44.
Second Yuriy Shayunov achieved 78.73. Anastasiya Mironchik leaped to European
lead in long jump 684. Kseniya Detsik achieved 14.35 in triple jump,
Dmitriy Plotniskiy was the best in men triple 16.91. Tatyana Suprun clocked
2:00.64 in the 800 m.
Fast 23.37 by Yelena Nevmerzhitskaya in women 200 m.
NAIROBI (KEN, May 22): Olympic champ Nancy Lagat won her event the 1500 m in 4:44.8 during
second day of Kenyan Army Forces Championships. Former world steeple bronze
medallist Jeruto Kiptum was second in 4:45.5 while Ines Chenonges third in
4:46.0. Lagat also won the 800
m (2:08.4). Jackson Kivuva secured a gold in the 800 m in 1:47.6 and coming in
second to Gideon Gathimmba in the 1500 event (3:47.2). Gathimba achieved
3:46.8. World CC Champion Joseph Ebuya, who after collapsing in 10,000m race
recovered 24 hours later to win the 5000 m in 13:46.7. The men steeple racee was a closely
contested affair but the honours went to Linus Chumba who was timed 8:29.0.
Chumba’s team-mate Abraham Chirchir managed 8:29.6 to claim second position
with Hilary Kemboi third in 8:33.6. Linet Chepkirui continued to dominate long
distance following her victory in 5000 m where she returned 16:37.2.
MORTALAZ (ESP, May 22): World Cup winner Maria Vasco won the walking event here
in 21:51 at 5 km
ahead of Julia Takacs (21:54). David Dominguez was the best man after 42:12
ahead of veteran Jesus Angel Garcia (42:15).
