Powell is out of DL Galan Stockholm/Samung DL, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder

EME NEWS (AUG 5, 2010)



Powell out and is taking it day by day
STOCKHOLM (SWE): Relay world record holder Asafa Powell has withdrawn
through from his eagerly awaited clash with Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay at
the DN Galan Samsung Diamond League meeting in Stockholm on Friday.
Writes David Martin. Powell was the last man to defeat Bolt when they
met prior to the Beijing Olympics at the Stockholm venue in July 2008
and holds the meet record at the 1912 Olympic stadium venue. But the
head-to-head will not happen after he suffered a minor groin injury
when beaten by Bolt at last month’s Paris Diamond League meeting and
has since according to agent Paul Doyle, suffered additional setbacks.
Powell took the decision to withdraw after a fitness test in Stockholm
on Wednesday when having not trained for 10 days following the Paris
defeat on July 16, he revealed he was feeling “tightness and pain” from
the injury. “This morning, Asafa tested himself with starts from blocks
and was just unable to push from the blocks without severe pain,” said
a statement issued by Doyle. Powell said: “I am absolutely devastated.
I was really looking forward to the race against Usain and Tyson. This
year I have been running very well and I was hoping that I would be in
the race with a solid chance to win, but with the way my back and legs
have been feeling. I know it would be difficult to even finish the
race.”  Next plan for Powell is not clear, “we are taking it day by
day,” said Doyle. Bolt and Gay said at today’s press conference that
they expect a fast
race tomorrow. They agreed that it will require a very fast time to
win. “I have not lost a race in two years, so it is very important to
me,” said Bolt to SVT Sport. “I am really looking forward to the race.
Maybe this is my only meeting with him (Bolt) this year”, notes Gay.
Next and also the last scheduled clash of this three sprinters is for
Brussels Samsung Diamond League final on August 27.  For the Van Damme
Memorial race as Belgian media are informing confirmed is also fresh
European star Christophe Lemaitre.

Three can secure the Diamond

STOCKHOLM (SWE): DN Galan Samsung Diamond League preview, Merga,
Cantwell and Thorkildsen with wins could secure the Diamond Race.

Event by event
Men
100 m: Even without Powell, always when Bolt runs against Gay there is
a world record. Meet record (9.86) and world lead (9.82) under threat.
400 m: Non-DL race with Wissman against some overseas runners.
800 m: Kaki with world champ Kamel, strong Laalou and Euro Champ Lewandowski.
5000 m: Kenya vs. Ethiopia, Tariku and Merga on one side and Choge,
Kipchoge on the other one. Strong US presence. Waiting for years first
sub 12:50. Merga with win could secure the Diamond Race.
400mH: Batman vs. Angelo clash, so far 3:0 this year for Jackson. Fresh
Euro winner Greene is also there. Meet record 47.98 is within the
reach.
Steeple: Non-DL race meet record holder Koech going for fast one.
TJ: Tamgho vs. Cubans and home star Olsson.
SP (already on Thursday): Cantwell with all other US top boys and
olympic winner Majewski. Cantwell with win a certain Diamond race
number one.
JT: Thorkildsen and all other Barcelona medalists with best overseas
throwers Martinez and Bannister. Spectators will also enjoy the
precision javelin which will serve as introduction into the
competition. So far no 90 in the history of the meet. Norway´s star
could secure with the win the Diamond.
Women
200 m: Felix and Euro silver winner Bryzgina.
400 m: All continental bests – US champ Dunn, Euro winner Firova and African gold medalist Montsho.
1500 m: Crowded field. Burka, Jamal, Lagat, strong US runners and
Dobriskey representing Europeans and disappointed Alminova. First sub
four in legendary Olympic stadium?
5000 m: Non-DL with Defar going for fast time, 14:27.41 world lead
might go. But pay attention to Barcelona winner Alemitu Bekele.
100mH: Lolo, both Canadians, Pearson and NCAA champ Harrison, first sub 12.50 2010 is expected.
Steeple: Zarudneva vs. Chemos, both continental champions. This is debuting event at the meet.
HJ: Vlasic against Howard another clash, so far 4:2 for Vlasic this outdoor season.
PV: Feofanova as gold medalist is clashing with world indoor champion Murer.
LJ: World champion Resee, Gomes, all Russians and home star Kluft. What will achieve the latest hero here Radevica?
SP (Thursday): Will Vili be able to beat so far unbeaten Ostapchuk?

OTHER NEWS

 
NEWCASTLE (GBR): Jessica Augusto will return next month for the Bupa
30th Great North Run determined she can repeat last year’s victory
where she ran away from her rivals. Augusto makes no secret it was the
biggest success of her career as she pulled well clear of the field
after five miles to become the first Portugese champion since the
legendary Rosa Mota in 1990. The 28-year-old who placed third in the
European Championships 10000 metres event last week in Barcelona is now
switching her attention away from track racing to prepare for the
World’s biggest half marathon on September 19. Augusto will line up
again against Adere the 2006 champion while Kenya’s Susan Chepkemei
runner up on that occasion and the race winner in 2001 is also
returning for the “Tyneside Classic.” The men’s race will feature a
clash between the world’s greatest ever distance runner Haile
Gebrselassie – the Ethiopian is making his first Great North Run
appearance – and American Dathan Ritzenhein who finished third four
years ago. Writes David Martin.

 
LUZERN (SUI): New names for European Athletics Classic meet in Luzern
on Aug 8 (stadium Nottwil) include returning from injury olympic silver
medalist Kerron Stewart of Jamaica for the 100 m. She will compete
against ever-young Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of Bahamas, US Marshevet
Myers and Japanese record holder Chisato Fukushima (11.21 this year).
Men´s 400 m hurdles will see world silver winner Javier Culson in duel
with US Michael Tinsley and Justin Gaymon and Jamaican olympic finalist
Markino Buckley with another veteran Danny McFarlane. Already before
announced were world champions Brittney Reese, Robert Harting, Jeremy
Wariner, Ryan Brathwaite and US 100 m champion Walter Dix.

STOCKHOLM (SWE): IAAF informs that on Wednesday afternoon in the Swedish capital’s KungsträdgÃ¥rden attracted large
crowds, as the city’s sports fans young and old came downtown to
experience Athletics at first hand, to try some events and meet their
heroes. Thursday´s afternoon’s Shot Put stars were introduced to the public today
with reigning World champions Valerie Vili and Christian Cantwell and
2005 World gold medallist Adam Nelson particularly excited about
competing in Stockholm. Also in the line-up Nadezhda Ostapchuk, the reigning European champion and Diamond Race leader.

KINGSTON (JAM): TrackAlerts.com informs that world and Olympic 100m
Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser, arrived in Italy on Wednesday. Fraser will
join her MVP teammates at the club’s training base. Fraser returned a
positive test for the non-performance enhancing drug oxycodone, at the
Shanghai Diamond League meeting on May 23 and now awaits the IAAF
ruling. Trackalerts.com was reliably informed that the Jamaica Amateur
Athletic Association (JAAA) Disciplinary Panel, which includes former
Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe, former Attorney General Winston Spaulding
and psychiatrist Dr Aggrey Irons, last week made their recommendation
to the IAAF, as to what sanction Fraser should face.

TORONTO (CAN):  Athletics Canada announced a team of 40 athletes today
which will
compete at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.  Athletics
competition at the Commonwealth Games starts October 6th and will wrap
up on the 12th. Commonwealth Games veteran Angela Whyte will lead the
team into Delhi.  Whyte won a silver
medal in the 100 metre hurdles at the last Games in Australia in 2006
and also attended the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.  Another
strong medal contender in Delhi will be Dylan
Armstrong in the shot put.  Armstrong is currently the number one
ranked shot putter in the Commonwealth. Priscilla Lopes-Schliep will
not compete and concentrate on the 2011 world championships and 2012
Olympics. Two-time world hurdling medalist Perdita Felicien, like
Lopes-Schliep, will pass on the Commonwealths.

LONDON (GBR): Former European champion Darren Campbell says he has
forgiven Dwain Chambers for the doping saga
that cost the former European 100m champion two major medals. Informs
Campbells website. Campbell, who lost his 2002 European relay gold and
2003 World relay
silver after Chambers’ positive tests, says his former team-mate is a
changed man. “He made mistakes and acknowledged them. Everything you
see from him
now is heartfelt,” Campbell told BBC Sport.

BALTIMORE (USA): World Express Athletic Management president Mark Pryor
announced the signing of Rondell Sorrillo formerly of the University of
Kentucky who in June won the NCAA Championships in the men’s 200 meter
event as well as placed 2nd in the 100m final. Sorrillo, a native of
Trinidad & Tobago has a career bests 20.29 and 10.19. He also won a
gold medal in 4×100 m relay at recent CAC Games in Puerto-Rico. 

RESULTS


SONDERSHAUSEN (GER, Aug 4): Fresh European champion Linda Stahl won the
15th edition of the meet with 58.97 in javelin. Shot put bronze
medalist Ralf Bartels confirmed excellent shape with 20.94 win. Martin
Wierig won the discus (64.39) and Nadine Muller the female part (61.08ň
showing German throwing strength. Mark Frank was also the best in
javelin (79.11). Robin Schembera was the best in the 1000 m (2:22.70)
and Fabian Schulze in pole vault (560).