EME NEWS (AUG 11-12, 2010)

GAY WISHES BEST TO BOLT

LONDON (GBR): Tyson Gay posted
on his facebook following comment on Usain Bolts end of the season 2010: „I
wish Usain the best as he gets healthy for 2011 and 2012. I would have
liked for us to race again this year, but it didn’t work out. I’ve had my own
injuries in the past, so I understand his decision as well as anyone.”

POWELL OUT FROM AVIVA

LONDON (GBR): Asafa Powell has
talked about his injury problems on his IAAF Diary. He explained he has been unable
to train at 100% since competing in Paris. A groin injury has been
bothering him and has spread to his back. Powell will most likely continue
treatment to be ready for his clash with Tyson Gay at the Brussels Diamond
League. “In Gateshead, Gay won the battle and Bolt did likewise in Lausanne,
but I don’t like losing to anybody. I know that more people are
watching when I race against Tyson or Usain. I know that
I should be able to beat these guys and that makes it frustrating. All
I will do is push myself harder to be ready to win the next time we race”
Powell wrote in his diary. He will not compete in London this weekend and his
next race is not yet known.

OHURUOGU PLANS TO RETURN

LONDON (GBR): The season of
2008 Olympic 400 m
winner Christine Ohuruogu was so far be damaged by a quad problem and she
missed the European Championship. She needs to decide whether she will travel
to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October as her only focus is
a return to the track – sooner rather than later. The Crystal Palace
Diamond League is too early, she thinks about other meetings later in August.

MAKAU IN BERLIN

BERLIN (GER): Kenyan Patrick
Makau has been confirmed for the Marathon of Berlin on September 26th. Makau
was one of the revelations in last year’s Rotterdam marathon where he managed
2:04.48 in what was only his third marathon. Kenyan olympic gold medalist
Samuel Wanjiru has confirmed he will not compete at the Berlin Marathon.
However, the Kenyan athlete believes he will be ready in time to defend his Chicago
Marathon in October. Wanjiru will not chase the world record in Chicago but has
the Dubai Marathon in January in mind as his ideal course to break the world
record. „The world record can go down to 2:02 and if the weather is perfect and
we have coordinated well. I believe Kenya has enough talented runners to
bring that crown home. I will make my attempt, but is still far away to
focus on it now” Wanjiru was quoted.

OTHER NEWS

MONACO (MON): Veronica
Campbell-Brown has written a new entry for her IAAF diary and answered to
some of her fans questions about her presence in the Diamond League. Since
Campbell-Brown is not a Diamond League ambassador she explained she has to
be invited to the Diamond League meetings, which is something she is always looking
forward to.

LONDON (GBR): Junior sensation
Jodie Williams believes losing her winning streak is a blessing in
disguise. Williams holds an incredible winning streak of 151 victories but
suffered her first ever loss in the 200m final of the IAAF World junior
Championships. Williams left the track in tears after losing for the first time
since she had taken up athletics 5 years ago but now realizes that trying to
hold on to her winning streak would have brought too much pressure.

LONDON (GBR): FIFA continues to
disagree with the harsh ‘whereabout’ rules the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
wants to apply on football. FIFA and UEFA have both pressed for changes with
the WADA, arguing that the rule is harsh and unfair and should apply only to
teams and not individual players. FIFA has previously demanded that
out-of-competition tests take place only at club training facilities, and that
players should not be tested during holidays to respect their private lives but
WADA has claimed that football should not receive any special treatment and
that they must follow the WADA Code like every other sport.

WARSZAWA (POL): Polish steeple
record holder Wioletta Frankiewicz suffered a serious knee injury and will
pause for a few months. It happened during Stockholm DN Galan meeting
where she broke ligament in her right knee after 450 meters into the
race. Swedish doctors were considering six months out of training. More will be
known after surgery this week in Poznan.

PARIS (FRA): Triple European
medalist Myriam Soumare will compete one last time this season in the Samsung
Diamond League Weltklasse in Zurich. Soumare will run the 100m, in which she
won the bronze medal in Barcelona, and will take some time off after the
competition. Her main goal is to get ready for the European indoor
championships in Paris this winter.

BERLIN (GER): German European
champion Christian Reif is counting on a victory at the ISTAF IAAF World
Challenge in Berlin. Reif jumped 847 when winning in Barcelona and will face in
Berlin Chris Tomlinson and Godfrey Mokoena. By adding the men’s long jump to
the program the organization sold an extra 2500 tickets. At this point 40 000
tickets have been sold for the reports leichtathletik.de.

GENEVA (SUI): IOC President
Jacques Rogge has high hopes for the first edition of the Youth Olympic Games
in Singapore. Rogge hopes the Games will teach them fair play and reject
doping, racism and corruption. The Youth Olympic Games, starting on August 14,
have been a lifelong wish for Rogge to create a global, multi-sport
event for young athletes. „It’s a preparation for their later Olympic
life, in a very modern and human way we are going to tell them things that
are important that they have to acquire. I think that is the added value
of the Youth Olympic Games.” Rogge said in an interview with Associated press.

KYIV (UKR): IAAF Senior
vice-president Sergey Bubka successfully staged at home the IAAF Council
meeting. He was also asked what is his main task currently: „Do not think there
is not enough work as official. I m living my life within IOC, IAAF and
national olympic committee of Ukraine. That is my main interest and I like
it. For my other activities I like tennis, but only doubles. I did
not had pole in my hand for 10 years. Physically I m in good shape but
would not be ready to jump with a pole.”

SOFIA (BUL): Bulgarian olympic
and world discus participant Venera Getova (personal best 59.08) ended her
career. She will marry her long time friend who is from India. The pair will
move to India and live there.

KYIV (UKR): IAAF Council also
approved dates for second year of IAAF World Challenge in 2011. Two new
meetings applied for the status from Caribbean America – Kingston in Jamaica
and Ponce in Puerto-Rico. The dates for 2011: Mar 3: Melbourne, May 7: Osaka
and Kingston, May 12: Daegu, May 14: Ponce, May 28: Dakar, May 29: Hengelo and
Rio, May 31: Ostrava, Jun 5: Rabat, Jul 3: Moscow (tbc), Jul 9: Madrid, Sep 11:
Rieti and Berlin, Sep 13: Zagreb.

AVIVA
GRAND PRIX – PREVIEW

LONDON (GBR): Sold out Crystal
Palace will see on first day top clashes in men´s 100 m, pole vault and triple
jump. On the women side the 5000
m is the race of the evening. Special non Diamond League
400 m
for men will feature Blade Runner Oscar Pistorius from South Africa. The meet
has been sold out with almost 32 000 tickets (for both days) being sold in the
last couple of weeks. Since the European Championships, which has been the most
successful ever for the British Team, tickets have been sold on an average of
1000 tickets per day. Also the Zurich and Brussels Diamond League have sold out
with Brussels holding the Diamond League record as it has ticketed 47 000
seats.

Friday preview

men

100 m: Gay vs. Dix vs. Blake,
in good weather meet record 9.89 could be under threat, but first heats.

800 m: Eurochamp Lewandowski
against Kaki, final time depends on pacemakers.

3000 m: Home hero Farah with
Stockholm winner Kiptoo and top global medalist Bernard Lagat.

Steeple: Fresh Kipruto comes
from Africa but Koech gained self-confidence with good Stockholm win. Meet
record 8:08.11 of Patrick Sang since 1995 should go.

400mH: Bershawn wants to
continue in winning streak, but watch for first post-Barcelona meet of home
gold medalist Greene. With a win Jackson could secure Diamond Race title.

PV: Hooker vs. Lavillenie, top
clash in this event. Meet record is 597. With any score in the top 3 Lavillenie
will be Diamond Race winner.

TJ: Tamgho comes into the shape
but British winner Idowu is waiting on him.

women

200 m: Felix should be
a clear one. With a win and Stewart third or worse the Diamond Race
goes to Allyson.

1500 m: Langat thinks about
another win.

5000 m: Possibly the race of
the day with world champions Vivian Cheruiyot, Linet Masai, olympic winner
Tirunesh Dibaba and in-shape Ejigu. Meet record 14:33.65 should be broken.

100mH: Lolo, Priscilla, Sally.
Will somebody else be the surprise? Heats will be also staged.

HJ: Blanka against Chaunte,
number 8 of the outdoor season, so far 5:2 in favor of the world and european
champion. With a win Vlasic has the Diamond.

LJ: Top two from Barcelona
Radevica and Gomes with Russian youngster Klishina.

SP: Ostapchuk and Vili, so far
clear this season.

DT: Barrios is unbeaten since
June 6 and with a win gets the Diamond.

JT: All three Barcelona medalists
clashing (Stahl, Obergfoll, Spotakova).

RESULTS

IRKUTSK (RUS, Aug 12): Olympic
relay medalist Yelena Migunova clocked 51.73 at 400 m during the
international meet here. It was her first competition since a longer
break.

RAKVERE (EST, Aug 11): Grete
Sadeiko won the Estonian heptathlon title with 5757 points.