by Larry Eder
Meseret Defar wins World Indoors, Doha, March 2010, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Meseret Defar will be attacking the current 5,000 meter women’s record of 14:11.15, set by Tirunesh Dibaba, on August 6 in Stockholm. Defar is one of the few athletes who have a real
shot to break Dibaba’s WR.
On the European Champs front (July 26-Oct.1), Yuriy Borakovskiy will not be running at the champs, due to a heel injury!
BORZAKOVSKIY
IS INJURED
MOSCOW (RUS): Olympic 800
m winner from 2004 Yuriy Borzakovskiy will not compete
in Barcelona. One of the main favorites will not run because of an injury.
Russian media are informing. He has problems with his heel which started after
national championships in Saransk. He missed some days of training but still
was hoping for the European Championships participation. But after visiting
doctors it was clear that he has tendinitis of plantar ligament and must stop
to run for two weeks. The season is any case over for him.
GOLDS
FOR ROMANIA AND NORWAY
MONCTON (CAN, Jul 22): Kenyan Caleb Ndiku added a second global
title to his name this year when dominating the 1500 final from gun-to-tape and
winning in a personal best 3:37.30. The eighth Kenyan title winner and
World Junior Cross Country champion did it in a confident style leading
through 400 in
55.89, passing 800 in
1:55.33 and completing the third split in 2:56.46 before going into overdrive.
Algerian Abderrahmane Anou, and pre-race favourite Mohammed Al-Garni of Qatar
finished second and third 3:38.86 and 3:38.91. Kirani James duly won the 400 metres gold medal
but the outstanding Grenadian who finished runner up two years ago, found
himself with a battle on his hands down the home straight with Hungarian
Marcell Deak Nagy in 45.89 over 46.09, third US champion Errol Nolan 46.36.
Romanian Mirela Lavric running a perfect tactical race comfortably
defended her 800 title to thwart the hopes of African rivals Cherono Koech and
Annet Negesa. Lavric won in a time of 2:01.85 to beat off the challenge of
the Kenyan last year’s World Youth gold medallist who clocked 2:02.29 and
Negesa from Uganda who has surpassed her expectations at the bi-annual
Championships and recorded 2:02.51. Norway´s Isabella Pedersen a year
after being crowned World Youth 100m hurdles champion in Bressanone added
another coveted gold medal to her collection with a thrilling win in the
Stade de Moncton. Pedersen did it in great style smashing the Norwegian record
with a superb time and second fastest in the world this season of 13.30
when holding off the challenge of German Jenna Pletsch by 0.05sec and her
German teammate Miriam Hehl who clocked 13.46 a time she shared with the
unlucky fourth finisher Danielle Williams of Jamaica. Margaret Etim the world
400 leader this year went off very quickly and going down the backstraight it
seemed she was on target to succeed fellow Nigerian Sade Abugun as world
champion. But victory with a surging charge went to Bahamian Shaunnae
Miller who took charge of the race to win in 52.52 as Etim in the final 50m
began limping and finished in 53.05.
The pair were in a clas of their own as they initially battled in the home
stretch until Etim suddenly began to slow but managed to hold off Romania’s
Bianca Razor, third in 53.17. Purity Kirui sealed the fourth successive Kenyan
victory in the 3000 steeplechase keeping the gold medal in her country’s
possession since it was introduced to the Championships programme. Kirui with a speedy
final lap won in 9:36.34, with a plucky Birtukan Adamu after being
overtaken by the second Kenyan representative Lucia Muangi with 250m remaining,
fighting back to win silver for Ethiopia. The pair as did the winner ran the
fastest time of their careers finishing in 9:43.23 and 9:43.71 in a race
which featured five national records and and one other personal best. Cuban
Dailenys Alcantra may have produced only one big real leap by her own world
class standards of 14.09m, but it was long enough to see her retain her triple
jump crown. Yaime Perez on a good night in the field for Cuba captured its
first ever discus gold medal with a third round effort of 56.01 to thwart
the challenges of US Erin Pendleton and Ukrainian Yuliya Kurylo. Anton Ivakin
equalling this summer’s World leading mark of 5.50m became the fourth Russian
pole vaulter to lift the gold medal in the last five years. Newly crowned World
Junior 100 metres
champion Dexter Lee squandered his chances of achieving a sprint double
when being disqualified for false starting on the Championships fourth day in
the Stade de Moncton in the morning Thursday programme. With help of David
Martin.
BOLT
GETS READY
KINGSTON (JAM): Diamond League Ambassador Usain Bolt is back on
track after being sidelined for six weeks due to an Achilles injury. In his
latest Online Diary, the 100m and 200m World record holder catches us up with
some news both on and off the track, including the latest milestone in his
career: cracking the 2 million fan barrier on Facebook. “I am now back home in
Jamaica after my two Samsung Diamond League races in Lausanne and Paris. I was
happy with both wins, and I look forward to doing better in the other
races. Things are getting better now with my Achilles tendon and I am
working hard for the next few weeks to rebuild my strength. I know Coach
Mills is going to get me in the gym and on the track to catch up for what I missed,
but I am up to it. It is great to be back home in Jamaica during July as
every other year I am in Europe all summer racing and getting ready for a major
championship. I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to come home
as I know that next year we will be preparing for the World Championships
in Daegu and in 2012 we will be getting ready for the Olympics in London. I hope
the weather in Europe is as good next year as it has been this year. This has
been the first summer where I got sunshine in both Lausanne and Paris. I recently
reached 2 million fans on my Facebook which was good – WOW! I have my
first book coming out in September – 9.58 My Story – and have been working to
get that finished. My Puma clothing range is now available and has received
great reviews. In Paris a local artist designed a special vest for me
to run in which is something new and exciting. I would like to give a special
mention to my Racers TC teammates who have been performing very well in Europe.
Mario Forsythe improves his 100m and 200m PBs with every race, Jermaine
Gonzales is almost at the top of the world in the 400m and Yohan Blake is
consistently sub-10 in
the 100m. We train hard all winter and it is good to reap the rewards in the
summer. Keep it up team Racers,” said Bolt. After that Gonzales and Blake
showed more improvements in Monaco. Confirmed meetings for Bolt are both
Samsung Diamond League finals in Zurich and Brussels for the moment. One more
race is under negotiation.
DEFAR
FOR STOCKHOLM
STOCKHOLM (SWE): Ethiopian Meseret Defar confirmed her participation at DN
Galan Samsung Diamond League meeting in Stockholm on Aug 6. She will run the 5000 m and will try to
attack the world record of her country-mate Tirunesh Dibaba 14:11.15. The
legendary Olympic Stadium here during its history has witnessed a total of
83 world records. The women’s 5000
m is not part of Diamond Programme but will certainly be
one of the highlights of the meeting. “We have great expectations and hope that
Defar’s World record attempt will create a magical atmosphere. There are a lot
of Ethiopians in Sweden and we hope they will come to DN Galan in support of
their heroine,” commented meeting director Rajne Söderberg. Defar, who in 2008
missed the record in a fantastic race, already holds the Stadium records
at 3000m (8:24.66; 2006), 5000m (14:12.88; 2008) and 10,000m (31:07.34; 2009).
SEMENYA
FOR MILANO
MILANO (ITA): Organizers of Notturna di Milano meeting on September
9 announced that Caster Semenya will run at the event the 800 m. Another South African
name which is making world headlines will be seen at the meeting, Oscar
Pistorius will run the 400 m.
Writes FIDAL website.
BARCELONA
NEWS
FRANKFURT (GER): German decathlete Pascal Behrenbruch will not be able to
compete in Barcelona after he was trying to get the selection by law. Because
he was not named by German Federation even a positive decision by a court
would not be helpful in his case.
BARCELONA (ESP): The official timetable for the 20th European Athletics
Championships to be held in Barcelona between 26 July and 1 August has been
modified with minor changes in the schedule for a few events. Informs
European Athletics. Among the changes, the women’s 800m heats to be held on 27
July have been rescheduled from 11:30 to 20:10, while Round 1 heats of the
men’s 400m have been moved from 10:40 to 11:00. Also heats in women 400 m and men and women 1500 m have been cancelled
and straight semifinals will be held in time of semifinals.
ATHENS (GRE): Cyprean world medalist in high jump Kyriakos Ioannou although
entered will make a last minute decision about his participation. He
injured in Lausanne and is still feeling not beeing totally healthy. In Greek
team not travelling will be Kostadina Kefala who was entered for 10 000 m. Another problem
for Greek team is the travel because planned strike in the air traffic
controllers department. The squad planned for Saturday departure but this is
now under questionmark.
BARCELONA (ESP): Munich 2002 European Marathon champion Chema Martinez will be
carrying the flag for the 88-strong Spanish team at the opening ceremony of the
Barcelona European championships on Monday. Other flagbearers will be Christian
Reif for Germany, Anita Wlodarczyk for Poland, Petr Svoboda for Chzech
Republic, Naide Gomes for Portugal and Nataliya Dobrynska for Ukraine.
BARCELONA (ESP): The European Athletics-UNESCO young leaders forum in Barcelona
from July 27th to 29th will feature speakers such as Sergey Bubka, Gabriela
Szabo and Steve Cram.
AMSTERDAM (NED): Dutch best shot putter Melissa Boekelmans aims at making the
final when competing in Barcelona. The young athlete said in an interview she
is not ready yet to battle it out with the top to win a medal but
considers a top 12 position within her reach.
BRUSSELS (BEL): Belgian steeplechaser Pieter De Smet fell with his bike in an
accident and now is unsure about his participation in Barcelona. The athlete
hopes to be in reasonable condition to run before next week.
OTHER NEWS
TALLINN (EST): Postimees informs that the organizers of Rakvere meet (Aug 3)
which is final of local series of meetings (Big Bank Kuldliiga) are far away
from confirming US sprinter Justin Gatlin will make his comeback there. The
organizers said, there are only email exchanges, no agreements and that
everything in media is more a speculation.
BUDAPEST (HUN): In All-Athletics.com meeting rankings Herculis of Monaco is
currently number two behind Paris, third Lausanne ahead of Eugene and Oslo
completing top five.
LONDON (GBR): The roof cover over the Olympic Stadium for the 2012 Olympic
Games has been completed. The cover will have to protect two-thirds of
spectators in the 80,000 capacity arena during the Games writes insidethegames.
LONDON (GBR): Victoria Ohuruogu claimed in an interview she is hoping to
compete in the London 2012 Olympics alongside her older sister and Olympic
Champion Christine Ohuruogu. Victoria also trains under the tutelage of Lloyd
Cowan and will compete at the Youth Olympics in August.
SAN DIEGO (USA): Race organizers for the San Diego Rock ‘n Roll marathon
released a study that concludes the marathon had a $54 million impact on
San Diego’s economy, including $34 million in direct visitor spending. The
marathon, which was held June 6, drew 37,463 marathon-related visitors to San
Diego from all 50 states and 23 countries,
LONDON (GBR): Former Olympic champion and world record holder over the 400m
Michael Johnson has challenged Usain Bolt to break his 400m record. In a column
for The Times Johnson said the 400m challenge could provide Bolt with
motivation to keep running beyond the 2012 Olympics. „It would be incredible to
see someone hold the world record at 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres and that’s
where his motivation could come from after London,” Johnson wrote.
AMSTERDAM (NED): At the EAP meeting Amsterdam Open on August 7th Dutch 800m
runner Yvonne Hak will make an attempt at breaking the Dutch 1000m record held
by Olympic champion Ellen Van Langen. The record currently stands at 2:35.21,
in the same race attempts will be made to break the Australian and Kenyan
record in the 1000m. Yvonne Hak is one of the favorites in the 800m at the
upcoming European championships after running 1:59.2 in Madrid.
AMSTERDAM (NED): Dutch best shot putter Melissa Boekelmans aims at making the
final when competing in Barcelona. The young athlete said in an interview she
is not ready yet to battle it out with the top to win a medal but
considers a top 12 position within her reach.
BRUSSELS (BEL): Belgian steeplechaser Pieter De Smet fell with his bike in an
accident and now is unsure about his participation in Barcelona. The athlete
hopes to be in reasonable condition to run before next week.
