by Larry Eder
Lemaitre, fresh off his win at Split, is now running in Milano in front of an appreciative crowd on Thursday. Mike Rodgers defeated both Justin Gatlin and Dwain Chambers in the 100 meters yesterday. Gatlin came back and won the 200 meters.
RODGERS BEATS GATLIN AND CHAMBERS
ARZANA
(ITA, Sep 7): Former olympic and world gold medalist Justin Gatlin was
the star of 24th international meet Terra Sarda. He was beaten in close
race by 2009 US Champion Mike Rodgers as both clocked 10.15 (-0.5).
Third was another sprinter with “bad” past Dwain Chambers (10.26).
Gatlin later won the 200 m in 20.63 (-0.1). Good Italian win for Marco
Vistalli at 400 m in 45.85 over Bahamian Andretti Bain (46.02) and
South African “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius fourth (46.87). Fast 3000
m when John Kipkoech got 7:45.76 over fresh Ethiopian steeple record
holder Roba Gary (7:45.85). Briton Frank Rutherford leaped to 807
(+0.3) long jump win over his team-mate Chris Tomlinson (777, +0.7).
Jamaican record holder Dorian Scott won the shot put (20.11).
Continental Cup winner Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya won the 800 m in
2:00.77 over young Russian Yelena Kofanova (2:01.08). Mikele Barber was
the fastest in the 100 m (11.40, +0.2) and another US win for Shareese
Woods in the 200 m (23.12, +0.5). Former world champion Amy Mbacke
Thiam of Senegal won the 400 m (51.56). In the 3000 m Mercy Cherono
beat Pauline Korikwiang (9:05.52 and 9:05.78).
KENYAN TEAM FOR NEW DELHI
NAIROBI
(KEN): Kenyan Federation confirmed the team for Commonwealth Games. In
distances main stars are current world champions Vivian Cheruiyot for
5000 m and Linet Masai for 10 000 m. Other names in this events are
Sylvia Kibet and Ines Chenonge in the 5k and Doris Chageiywo and Grace
Momanyi in the 10 k. Olympic winner Nancy Langat leads the 1500 m team
with Irene Jelagat and Viola Kibiwott. Diamond Race winner Janet
Jepkosgei is the star of 800 m with Cherono Koech and Winnie Chebet.
Marathon runners will be Caroline Kilel, Irene Jerotich and Rose
Kerubo. Men´s team is having top names in steeple with Ezekiel Kemboi,
Brimin Kipruto and Richard Matelong. Marathon runners will be 2007
World Champion Luke Kibet, Amos Mutai and John Kilai. In 800 m David
Rudisha is missing, his replacement will be Abraham Kiplagat along with
Richard Kiplagat and Boaz Lalang. Olympic winner Asbel Kiprop leads
1500 m selection with world leader Silas Kiplagat and James Magut. In
the 5000 m Edwin Soi, Vincent Yator and Mark Kiptoo are building the
team. Titus Mbishei, Joseph Kiptoo and Daniel Salel are competing in
the 10 000 m.
VLASIC FOR KAWASAKI
SPLIT
(CRO): The biggest star of weekend´s inaugural IAAF/VTB Continental Cup
Blanka Vlasic will still compete next week. Her last meet of the year
will be on Sunday, September 19 in Kawasaki, Japan at the traditional
fall Super Meet. Also for Kawasaki is scheduled the fastest European
French Christophe Lemaitre at 100 m.
RYPAKOVA TO DOUBLE AT ASIAN GAMES
SPLIT
(CRO): Fresh triple jump world leader Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan has
remaining goals for 2010 season. Former heptathlete who later turned to
long jump after birth of her daughter wants to win two gold medals in
long jump and triple jump at Asian Games in China. She will be one of
the headliners of athletics in Huangzhou in November. Only in fourth
year of triple jumping she became the 7th best performer ever in this
event. And her hero in this event? “I like how Inessa Kravets was
jumping,” Rypakova said. And one must admit she looks very similar with
Kravets. Time to attack the world record?
LEMAITRE, SEMENYA, KIPROP
MILANO
(ITA): Famous Italian meet “Notturna” in Milano comes this year at the
end of track season in Europe. Very interesting fields for Arena Civica
where 3500 spectators are expected on Thursday. European champion
Christophe Lemaitre runs the 100 m, Diamond Race winner and olympic
champion Asbel Kiprop competes in his only second serious 3000 m race
(first back in 2007 in Torino 7:42.32) and debuting at the distance
will be 1500 m world leader Silas Kiplagat. Another world top name is
800 m world champion Caster Semenya of South Africa who will face for
example home Elisa Cusma, French Continental Cup 1500 m winner Hind
Dehiba and Norwegian record holder Ingvil Makestad. In the men´s 1500 m
world champion Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain runs against US Alan Webb
and mainly Ethiopian Demma Daba Bikila. More home stars in 200 m
(Andrew Howe), 400 m (Libania Grenot against Czech Denisa Rosolova and
Senegal´s Amy Mbacke Thiam), High Jump (Antonietta Di Martino) and
Triple Jump (Simona La Mantia). Excellent field in men´s pole vault
with in-shape German Malte Mohr, Poland´s Lukasz Michalski and home
former world champion Giuseppe Gibilisco. In the 400 m Marco Vistalli
will compete again with Oscar Pistorius.
OTHER NEWS
LONDON
(GBR): Runbritain has announced the launch of its revolutionary new
handicap scoring system designed to give road runners of all abilities
the ability to benchmark their progress and compare their results
across a range of distances and terrains. The scoring system, which has
been developed in conjunction with the team behind the McCain Power of
10 website, enables runners to claim a ranking score based on any
single performance at 5,000, 10,000, half marathon and marathon
distances, and allow them to make comparisons against fellow runners of
varying degrees of ability. It also offers guidance and support on
future racing selections and opportunities to improve to the next level.
ATHENS (GRE): Greece’s national Athletics head coach Costas
Spanidis has died after heart attack while driving on Monday. Spanidis
was 51 and was last year appointed as the national head coach after
handling the position from 2005 to 2008. He was the coach of former
discus champion Tassoula Kelesidou. He left his wife who was before
also Greek Champion in the discus Georgia Giannakidou and two children.
Greek Athletics in shock from this news as Spanidis was known for his
friendly relationships within the athletics family in the country.
NASSAU (BAH): Olympic champion Pauline Davis-Thompson has announced
the opening of the Bahamas High-performance Track Academy (BHTA). BHTA
is an athletic training programme for selected high school and
professional athletes on the Bahamas and will provide the necessary
support to be both athletically and academically successful.
BRISBANE (AUS): World outdoor and indoor bronze medalist Mitchell
Watt is still hoping to compete at the Commonwealth Games in India in
October. Watt has suffered a groin injury earlier this year at the
Melbourne leg of the Australian Athletics Tour and has since been
unable to compete. Intensive treatment should get him ready to compete
in New Delhi.
SYNDEY (AUS): The Australian Sports Commission board will allocate
an additional 1,5 million dollar to Australian Athletics as high
performance funding. On top of that Athletics has been recognized as a
sport with the ability to deliver successful outcomes in line with the
government’s new direction for sport. The additional funding will be
channeled into medical, coaching and athlete contracts. Further funding
may be allocated by the Australian Paralympic Committee which was
awarded an extra 3 million dollar of funding by the Australian Sports
Commission for elite athletes with a disability writes athletics.com.
CAPE
TOWN (RSA): The South African Olympic Committee has accused Athletics
South Africa’s President Leonard Chuene of gross misconduct and
ignoring medical advice in the case of Caster Semenya as well as
bringing ASA and the SASCOC into disrepute. The SASCOC states Chuene
ignored medical advice that Caster Semenya would be withdrawn from the
2009 World Championships in Berlin as the Athletics South Africa team
doctor at the time stated Semenya should not run because it was going
to create a psychological problem for her to run and be queried. Chuene
also admitted to lying about gender tests performed on Semenya in South
Africa before the world championships. Chuene was suspended along with
ASA’s entire executive board last November after allegations of
financial mismanagement and criticism of the way the national
federation handled Semenya, who was then 18 writes Universal Sports.
NAIROBI (KEN): New world record holder David Rudisha will be
crowned a Maasai elder upon his return to his village in Kenya. Rudisha
is the first of the Taki village to be given the title. Huge
festivities, all showing the Maasai culture, are planned to welcome the
new hero back as Rudisha stands as a pillar of hope and is seen as a
mentor by many in his village.
KINGSTON (JAM): World and Olympic medalist Michael Frater will not
be attending the Commonwealth Games in India. Frater has been
struggling with little injuries over the season and decided to rest up
and prepare for the 2011 season.
LONDON (GBR): Mike Hooper, the chief executive of the Commonwealth
Games Federation (CGF), has warned Indian officials that sports to be
held at venues that haven’t proved to be safe will not be staged. It is
revealed that the CGF still have to receive confirmation from the
Organizing Committee that the athletes village and other venues are
structurally safe. India missed that deadline, promising it would
provide all of the required documentation by August 31, but failed to
do so. “You can’t occupy the venue unless you have building completion
certificates. People are due to arrive at the Games Village from
September 16. They can’t occupy the Games village unless the building
certification is not there. They can’t go to the venue unless venues
certification is not there.” Hooper was quoted on Insidethegames.biz.
The Telegraph India has announced at the same time that due to heavy
rain the turf and track at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium have “sunk
unevenly at many places”. Questions are now thrown around about how
such a stadium could host an international event let alone pull off the
opening ceremony of the Games. The opening ceremony will be held on
October 3rd but segments could be cancelled or curtailed if the rains
don’t let up.
SYNDEY (AUS): Craig Mottram has asked answers from the Athletics
Australia selectors who have chosen the Australian Commonwealth Games
selection over six months ago. Mottram missed the national
championships due to an Achilles injury and therefore was not selected
for the 5000m, an event in which he finished second four years ago.
Mottram was offered a spot in the 10000m but declined and now puts his
focus on the 2011 World Championships.
MONACO (MON): Veronica Campbell Brown has only run one race in
August but reflects in her IAAF online diary on her very successful run
in her favorite meeting in Zurich where she managed 10.89. It is the
first time since turning professional Campbell Brown did not compete in
September but instead laid the groundwork for what she calls ‘off
season’ projects.
LONDON (GBR): Despite encouragement from IOC President Jacques
Rogge Australia is unlikely to bid again to host the Olympic and
Paralympic Games for another 20 years. Brisbane has shown interest in
making a bid but has been told by the President of the Australian
Olympic Committee to wait. Rogge had claimed in an interview following
celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the Sydney Olympics that there
should be no reason why Australia should not bid in the future writes
Insidethegames.
RESULTS
TRACK
BERDYCHIV
(UKR, Sep 3): Eduard Malchenko of Russia won the Lonskiy Memorial
special high jump meeting with 225 clearance. Home Natalya Hapchuk was
the women winner (189) ahead of heptathlete Lyudmyla Yosypenko (186).
SAO PAOLO (BRA, Sep 4): New South American 100 m record for Ana
Claudia da Silva with 11.15 (+1.4). She also won the 200 m in 23.22
(+1.5) at the national federation meet.
KLADNO (CZE, Sep 7):
Still solid late season shape for Czech javelin thrower Vitezslav
Vesely with 81.55 at a Kladno 2010 meet. Jan Marcell achieved 61.12 in
discus.
DUDELANGE (LUX, Sep 5): At traditional High Jump meeting Russian
Irina Gordeyeva cleared 193 to win. Swiss Beatrice Lundmark was good
second with 191 cm (her second best ever).
OTWOCK (POL, Sep 5): At Slusarski Memorial jumping at the city square Lukasz Michalski cleared 568 cm in the pole vault.
ROAD
NEW
HAVEN (USA, Sep 6): Under clear blue skies with hardly a hint of wind,
Sean Quigley and Magdalena Lewy Boulet both captured their first USA
20-K road running titles at the 33rd Stratton Faxon New Haven Road
Race, part of the USA Road Circuit. Writes RRW. Lewy Boulet, 37, of
Oakland, Calif., dominated the women’s race in 1:07:41 despite being
fatigued from a high-mileage week, part of her build-up for the Bank of
America Chicago Marathon on October 10. Fifty-six minutes into the
race, Quigley pushed to the front, and left his two chasers behind for
good. Not only did he make a successful 20-K debut with his 59:21
finish time, but the victory today for the Philadelphian was his first
ever national title on any surface. Mohamed Trafeh, the 2010 national
15-K champion, finished second, the same position as last year in 59:29.
PILA (POL, Sep 5): Kenyan Cosmas Kyeva won the 20th Philips
Halfamarathon in 1:03:31 and second Michal Kaczmarek won the national
title in 1:04:14. Overall women winner was a Polish runner and national
title holder Agnieszka Gortel (1:12:52).
DUSSELDORF (GER, Sep 5): Daniel Chebii of Kenya achieved 27:43
life-time best to win the 10 km road race here. Ukrainian Vitaliy Rybak
(29:25) as 7th and Austrian Gunther Weidlinger as 8th (29:27) were the
best Europeans. Caroline Chepkwony clocked 32:40 to win the women
category ahead of Karolina Jarzynska of Poland (33:13).
VIRGINIA BEACH (USA, Sep 5): A close race on the men’s side at
10th Dodge Rock and Roll Virginian Beach Half-Marathon between Kenyans
Yusuf Songoka and Patrick Ivuti. They passed through 5 km, 10 km and
10 miles together, and Songoka did not pull away for the win (1:02:46
over 1:02:51) until the final kilometer. Japan’s Madoka Ogi dominated
the women’s race and won by more than a minute (1:14:17) over New
Zealand’s Fiona Docherty, a former triathlete (1:15:39) and Russian
Lyubov Denisova (1:16:45). Reigning Olympic Marathon gold medalist
Constantina Dita of Romania was fourth (1:17:20). Informs Race Results
Weekly.
TAIYUAN (CHN, Sep 5): RRW informs about 2:13:30 win of Ethiopian
Haile Haja Gemeda in this inaugural Taiyuan International Marathon in
China. Women winner Emmah Muthoni of Kenya was even more impressive
with 2:29:52.
GLASGOW (GBR, Sep 5): Hailu Mekonnen won the Great Scottish Run
(Half-Marathon) after 1:01:53 over Kenyan Jason Mbote (1:01:58).
Caroline Cheptonui defended her women title in 1:09:11.
BOLOGNA
(ITA, Sep 5): Another fast Half-marathon of the weekend from RRW. World
Champs medalist Mubarak Hassan Shami of Qatar achieved 1:02:14.
Ethiopian Feyese Tadese Boru as best woman clocked new course record
and personal best 1:10:08.
BUDAPEST (HUN, Sep 5): The 25th Nike Budapest International Half
Marathon brought a record number of participants with more than 6100
runners. In addition there were 900 runners on the relay and 3500
participants on the 3,5 km fun run. Hungarian wins for Lazslo Toth
(1:04:38) and Krisztina Papp (1:13:13).
SLANIC PRAHOVA (ROU, Sep 4): Romanian Half-Marathon champions are Cristinel Irimia (1:06:16) and Paula Todoran (1:14:30).
VILNIUS
(LTU, Sep 5): Lithuanian 10 km road race championships were dominated
by foreign guests from Belarus. Ilja Slavinski won the men´s race in
28:31 and Olga Kravtsova the women in 31:44.
GUADALAJARA (MEX, Sep 5): Kenyan wins at 21st Guadalajara
Half-Marathon. Hyvon Ngetich got 1:11:54 over Olga Kimaiyo 1:12:09 in
women race. Jacob Ptuyot was the best male runner (1:05:02).
ADDITIONS
LILLE
(FRA): Florence Kiplagat ran fourth (third if you only consider
non-downhill course) fastest half marathon debut. Best French wasn’t
James Theuri but 5th placed Abdellatif Meftah who set a new NR record
of 1:00:46.
SPLIT (CRO): Vivian Cheruiyot ran very fast final 200m (28.83) at
the end of 5000m in the Continental Cup. Writes Ken Nakamura. Fastest
final 400m was 56.9 by Meseret Defar in Berlin in 2006, and the fastest
final 200m was 27.9 in 2006 at WAF in Stuttgart by Tirunesh Dibaba.
