by Larry Eder
USATF Champs, June 2009, 5,000 meters, photo by PhotoRun.net.
I arrived at the U.S. champs late last night, and have spent most of the day meeting athletes, coaches and with the footwear companies. There will be some good competitions today, starting about 4 pm at Drake University. Allyson Felix, Lo Lo Jones, Wallace Spearmon are all competing, as well as Christian Cantwell & Chaunte Howard-Lowe. The distances should be compelling tonight as well ! Word is that Wallace Spearmon is doubling in 100m/200m!
Spoke to Matt Tegenkamp this morning. Teegs, Evan, running 1,500 meters in Des Moines,
and watch out for a screaming 5,000 meters in Eugene! RBR will see you there as well! If
you see me in stands, ask for a poster. We have posters of Galen Rupp/Dathan Ritzenhein,
Chris Solinsky/Allyson Felix, Bernard Lagat/Chaunte Howard-Lowe, thanks to the support
of John Capriotti at Nike athletics! 200,000 of each are mailing over the next few weeks to
coaches and athletes with their Athletes Only Summer issues!
EME NEWS (JUN 23, 2010)
All Berlin
medalists in women steeple
EUGENE
(USA): Of the two Samsung Diamond League distance races in the 36th annual
Prefontaine Classic on 3 July, the women’s 3000m Steeplechase and men’s 5000m,
one is certain to see a meet record set, and that’s the newest addition to the
international women’s programme, the Steeplechase. In women steeple the gold,
silver and bronze medallists from last year’s Berlin World Championships will
inaugurate the event in ten days at Hayward Field. Marta Dominguez of Spain,
Yuliya Zarudneva of Russia and Milcah Chemos Cheiywa of Kenya finished 1-2-3 a
year ago in Berlin. The Kenyan is currently the leader in the season long
Diamond Race in this discipline after victories in Oslo and Rome. The men’s
5000m holds similar meet record-setting potential. A sub-13:00 clocking has
never been achieved in the USA and this is the field that can finally do
it. Some of the fastest runners of 2010 are in the race, led by Kenyan’s
2003 World champion Eliud Kipchoge, currently the fastest in the world
following his win in Doha (12:51.21) and Ethiopia’s Imane Merga, the year’s
third quickest of the season so far (12:53.81), who leads the 5000m Diamond
Race standings after wins in Oslo and Rome. Joining them are their countrymen,
Ethiopian Tariku Bekele (12:53.97) and Kenyan Mathew Kisorio (12:57.83). Add in
another Kenyan Edwin Soi, who was the second quickest runner of 2009 and is a
multiple winner of the now discontinued World Athletics Final, and USA stars
Chris Solinsky and Matt Tegenkamp (both of whom are members of the sub-13:00
club), and no fewer than ten runners in the field have broken 13-minutes either
last year or this. US All-comers record is 13:02.90 by Micah Kogo of Kenya. The
Prefontaine Classic and Hayward Field record is 13:07.83, set by Luke Kipkosgei
in 1998. Tickets have sold so well for Prefontaine Classic that to cope with
demand of interest in the inaugural season of the Samsung Diamond League, an
additional 500 seats are being built this week at historic Hayward Field. The
organizers are informing.
Kenyan
Trials
NAIROBI
(KEN): Former 800m world champion Janeth Jepkosgei will lead over a
thousand athletes as the country selects its best runners for the continental
event next month. Jepkosgei, like many other elite athletes, have returned home
to fight for places on Kenya team and the trials on Thursday will confirm who
is fit enough to wear the national jersey come July 28 to August 1 when Nyayo
National Stadium will stage continent’s premier event, the Senior Africa
Athletics Championship. The first two athletes across the line will qualify
while the third will be picked through the coaches’ wild card. Kenya will
select a total of 144 athletes in all events. Jepkosgei will however seek
another stage to end any doubt in the simmering rivalry with Olympic Champion
Pamela Jelimo. Writes The Nation. World 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot is
struggling with a thigh strain leaving Sylvia Kibet, the world silver medallist
as the favourite. Linet Masai, the world 10,000m champion will also line up as
she seeks to secure the African title.
Bolt news
from Australia
MELBOURNE
(AUS): Australian Daily Telegraph writes that Usain Bolt definitely intends to
visit Australia this year. Whether he competes in a proposed 100m race in
Sydney is still under negotiation but is looking promising. Whether the world’s
fastest man competes against NRL players as well as fliers from other football
codes is under discussion between meet director Hayden Knowles and Bolt’s people
in Jamaica. The even is planned at Homebush on the night of September 15.
Sources last night confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that Bolt, the greatest
sprinter in history, wants to come to Australia for a holiday in September
after he wraps up his season, most likely on August 27 at the final Diamond
League meet in Brussels or at the latest at the Continental Cup in Split,
Croatia, on September 4-5.
Powell
looking for a fast race
KINGSTON
(JAM): World leader at 100 m Asafa Powell is looking forward to this weekend’s
National Championships. Jamaica Gleaner is writing. “This season, I
am more healthy than before and this has been my best start to a season
ever,” said Powell, who has recorded the two fastest times in the event
this season. Powell, who will next race in Gateshead in Europe stated that it
was unlikely he would defend his 100 metres title at this year’s Commonwealth
Games. This weekend, he is hoping to run impressively at the National
Championships. He is also disappointed that defending champion, Usain Bolt,
will be missing. “I was looking forward to face Usain on local soil, as I
know the fans wanted to see both of us, but he has his reasons.” His
team-mates Michael Frater and Nesta Carter will compete too. He also spoke
about his new contract with Li Ning, the Chinese business firm.
OTHER NEWS
CHICAGO (USA): The Bank of America Chicago Marathon announced a preliminary roster of
elite athletes that includes several of the United States’ top female marathon
performers. Headlining the U.S. contingent are Olympians Magdalena Lewy-Boulet
and Colleen De Reuck. Challenging them for top American honors will be IAAF
World Championship team members Desiree Davila and Tera Moody, along with
Melissa White. In its 33rd year and a member of the World Marathon
Majors, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon annually attracts 45,000 runners,
including a world class elite field, and 1.5 million spectators. As a result of
its national and international draw, the iconic race assists in raising $10
million for a variety of charitable causes while generating an estimated $143
million economic impact to its host city. The 2010 Bank of America Chicago
Marathon will start and finish in Chicago’s Grant Park beginning at 7:30 a.m.
on Sunday, October 10. Organizers are writing in a release.
FRANKFURT (GER): Germany selected its 10 000 m runners for European
Championships in Barcelona. Title defender Jan Fitschen leads the male trio
accompanied by national champion Christian Glatting. Sabrina Mockenhaupt is the
top woman also selected. More names will be added after national championships
in July.
DES MOINES (USA): 2005 world long jump champion Tianna Madison appears to be
back on course as she prepares for the U.S. Track and Field Championships.
Former U.S. Olympic women’s team head coach Brooks Johnson is now her coach in
Orlando where she now lives and trains. Finding another coach was a problem
since Madison parted ways with Bobby Kersee after the 2008 Olympic Trials.
DES MOINES (USA): Trevor Barron, Sam Crouser, Connor McCullough, Tyler
Sorensen and Lauren Chambers will compete at the 2010 USA Junior Outdoor Track
& Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, June 23-27. The USA Junior
Championships will serve as the selection meet for the 2010 IAAF World Junior
Championships in Moncton, Canada, July 19-25. The top two finishers in each
event in Des Moines who meet IAAF qualifying standards will be invited to
compete at the World Championship meet. Informs TrackAlerts.
MANNHEIM (GER): Olympic and world winner in pole vault Steven Hooker
confirmed another competition in Germany. After beeing entered into
Wattenscheid this Saturday he will also jump at Bauhaus Junior Gala meet in
Mannheim during the weekend July 3-4.Together with Briton Steve Lewis they will
jump with juniors as special guests. Also other events will have seniors there.
Hooker has his base while in Europe in Koln, Germany.
ZHUKOVSKIY (RUS): New star for Znamensky Memorial (this Saturday in Zhukovskiy
near Moscow) is the steeple world record holder Saif Saeed Shaheen of Qatar. He
will run his special event during this IAAF World Challenge meeting at Meteor
Stadium. His rivals will be Roba Gari of Ethiopia, Brahim Taleb of Morocco,
more Kenyans Patrick Terer and pacemaker David Langat. Meet record 8:18.46 of
Moses Kiptanui from 1995 will be in danger.
LISBON (POR): Portugal already pre-selected its walkers for European
Championships in Barcelona. Very strong women trio are Vera Santos, Ines Henriques
and Ana Cabecinha. For men´s 20 km the places are reserved for Joao Vieira and
Sergio Vieira.
RESULTS
BARAKALDO (ESP, Jun 23): Moroccan born but representing Spain Abdelaziz
Merzougui achieved at the international meet of Barakaldo new Spanish
junior steeple record with 8::33.29. He was beaten by Angel Mullera who got
8:25.99. Impressive also Arturo Casado in his first race of the season with
3:36.22 at 1500 m ahead of Eduard Villanueva of Venezuela 3:38.96 as second.
David Bustos improved his 800 m best to 1:46.12.
PRAGUE (CZE, Jun 23): Current best Czech pole vaulters dominated the Prague
Pole Vault meet at Ventzeslas square. Michal Balner cleared 556 what was enough
to win, but afterwards in first attempt went over 572 what is his outdoor best.
He then gave the public good tries at 580. Second was Jan Kudlicka with 546 and
third US Jeff Ryan with the same result. Jirina Ptacnikova was the winner with
440 and tried afterwards at her new PB height and meet record mark 466. She
hopes a result at this level will come soon. Meet record 465 was set by
legendary Yelena Isinbayeva. A tie for second place with Romana Malacova and
Norway´s Catherine Larsasen with 425 cm.
NANTES (FRA, Jun 23): French sprinter Veronique Mang confirmed solid shape with
23.14 (+0.6) win at 200 m during an international meet in France. Second Myriam
Soumare clocked 23.27. Former world champion Amy Mbacke Thiam of Senegal
registered 400 m win 52.25 over US Moushami Robinson 52.27. Moroccan Aziz
Ouhadi was the best at 100 m (10.36, +1.5), US Chris Dykes won the 200 m
(20.78. +0.6). Good hurdles by French Bano Traore (13.59, +0.1) and Belgian
Michel Bultheel who dipped sub 50 for third time in 10 days (49.84).
DARMSTADT (GER, Jun 23): In the 33rd City Run of Darmstadt Caroline
Chepkwony clocked 17:49 to win at 5.5 km. Two seconds behind was another Kenyan
Leah Malot who is the winner here four times in the past. In the men´s
7.6 km Daniel Chebii of Kenya was the best after 21:54. Ethiopian Bane Tola was
second (21:56) and third Hosea Tuei (21:57).
OSTERODE (GER, Jun 22): Peter Sack returned to solid shot put shape with 20.00
at a meet here. Marieke Rittweg got 60.26 in javelin.
GABORONE (BOT, Jun 19-20): Tjipekapora Herunga of Namibia clocked 23.96
seconds in 200 meter and won the gold medal and in 400 meter she
claimed another gold in a remarkable time of 53.17 seconds at the Botswana
National Athletics Championships in Gaborone. A middle distance athlete, Daniel
Nghipadulwa, in extremely freezing conditions clocked in 1: 48.95
seconds in 800 meters. Informsallafrica.com
WARSZAWA (POL, Jun 20): Former oly winner Szymon Ziolkowski improved his season
best to 76.63 m.
ADDITION
ALPE ADRIA (ITA, Jun 22): Alessia Trost (17) with her 190 in high jump tied
also Italian junior and U17 records.
