by Larry Eder
The Bowerman awards are the Heisman for collegiate track & field. The USTFCCCA‘s Sam Seames has given his coaching organization an award that is a natural! Last year, Galen Rupp and Jenny Barringer were the recipients. This year, it is Ashton Eaton, the most exciting multi event athlete of his generation, and Queen Harrison, who can run hurdles, both the 100m and 400 meters, like very few!
Naming the award after Bill Bowerman, the co-founder of Nike, but perhaps more importantly, as a college coach who not only fought for college coach recognition, but also co founded the predecessor of the USTFCCCA. While most recognize Bowerman’s success with middle distance runners, Bowerman had superb sprinters, 400 meter runners, long jumpers, throwers and high jumpers. Like Sam Bell and Bob Geigengack, Bowerman and coaches of his generation, could coach all events.
Congrats to both athletes, Ashton Eaton and Queen Harrison, and a tip of the hat to the USTFCCCA for their important award!
EME NEWS (DEC 16-17, 2010)
Mills expects Bolt peaking in London 2012
KINGSTON (JAM): BBC informs that coach Glen Mills expects that Usain
Bolt will peak for 2012 Olympic Games in London. “If the conditions are
right I think he can continue to improve,” said Mills. “I think that he
has another two years of development still in him before he probably
peaks,” he told BBC 5 live. “Peaking in 2012 is what we are hoping for
and some warm Jamaican weather in London would go far to help us to
achieve what we want,” he added. Bolt is currently in good training and
plans training competitions in winter at 400 m and in relays.
Haile for Angola race
LUANDA (ANG): Angola press agency ANGOP informs that marathon world
record holder Haile Gebrselassie will take part at the 55th Luanda’s
Sylvester Corrida (10km) which will be held on December 31st. Other
leading runners are Kenyans Josphat Kiprono Menjo on the men’s side and
Grace Momanyi in the women’s race. Informs African Athletics United
Facebook. For Gebrselassie it will be his first competition since New
York Marathon where he did not finish.
Super fields for London Marathon
LONDON (GBR): Reigning champions Tsegaye Kebede and Liliya Shobukhova
will return to defend their Virgin London Marathon titles on Sunday 17
April next year against two of the best fields ever assembled. Kebede
became only the second Ethiopian to take the men’s 2010 crown when he
beat Kenya’s Emmanuel Mutai and the Moroccan Jaouad Gharib, while Liliya
Shobukhova led a Russian one-two ahead of her compatriot Inga Abitova
with Ethiopia’s Aselefech Mergia third. All six medal winners from 2010
will be on the Blackheath start line again next April but with six men
in the field quicker than 2 hours 6 minutes, and no fewer than 14 women
with sub-2:24 personal bests, gaining a podium place in 2011 will be
tougher than ever. Indeed, both line-ups read like a virtual who’s who
of marathon running, each featuring the top five in London last year,
both Olympic and world champions, World Marathon Majors champions, and
recent winners in Berlin, Chicago and New York. Kebede’s main threat
will be Sammy Wanjiru, Kenya’s Olympic champion, Such is the quality of
the 2011 field that the fastest PBs belong to two other Kenyans – the
Rotterdam and Berlin champion Patrick Makau, fourth fastest in history
with 2:04:48; and world champion Abel Kirui, fifth in London this year,
who has a best of 2:05:04. Others likely to feature in the leading pack
include Ethiopian Bazu Worku, third in Berlin; Morocco’s Abderrahime
Bouramdane, fourth on his London debut this year; two-times New York
winner Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil; and Viktor Röthlin, the
Swiss runner who took the European title in Barcelona in August.
Shobukhova took the London crown from Irina Mikitenko, the 2008 and 2009
champion who dropped out in 2010 after struggling with an injury but
will be back next year. Another top name is 2007 champion Zhou Chunxiu,
the Chinese woman who recently retained her Asian Games title. Zhou will
be joined by her compatriot, the world champion Bai Xue, while
Romania’s Olympic champion Constantina Dita returns for her 10th London
Marathon. The 2011 race will also feature Ethiopians Bezunesh Bekele and
Askale Tafa who finished fourth and fifth respectively in 2010, and
Aberu Kebede, the Berlin winner. Edna Kiplagat, the newly-crowned New
York champion, leads the Kenyan challenge supported by Mary Keitany, who
was third in New York. The Dutchwoman Lornah Kiplagat, fifth in 2007
and a former world half marathon champion, returns to London for the
first time for four years. Mara Yamauchi will again carry British hopes.
London will also host the marathon debuts of Britain’s Jo Pavey,
Portugal’s Jessica Augusto and Australia’s Nikki Chapple. Australia’s
Collis Birmingham and America’s Mohamed Trafeh will make their debuts on
the men side.Because the Easter holiday is Sunday, April 24, the London
and Boston Marathons will be held on consecutive days in 2011; London
will be Sunday, April 17, and Boston will be Monday, April 18. Adds RRW.
Turner vs Oliver
LONDON (GBR): European 110 m hurdles champion Andy Turner will meet
twice this winter the world´s number one in 2010 US David Oliver. As
British media are informing, the duo will square off against each other
at both the Aviva International Match at Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall on
January 29 and at the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham on
February 19.
No indoor for Borzakovskiy
MOSCOW (RUS): Former Olympic 800 m winner Yuriy Borzakovskiy will pass
the indoor season 2011. “Currently I m in the phase of endurance
running, there is not enough time to start with speed training. So my
first competition will come in the summer season,” said Borzakovskiy.
His main goal is Daegu World Championships and he as keen football
supporter welcomes the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
Russian top names for indoors
MOSCOW (RUS): At the official press conference of Russian Athletics
Federation launching the coming indoor season it was confirmed that
following top athletes will compete in winter 2011. Pole vaulters Yelena
Isinbayeva and Svetlana Feofanova (both confirmed to direct duel at
Russian Winter IAAF Permit meet on February 6), high jumpers Aleksandr
Shustov, Andrey Silnov, Ivan Ukhov, returning male pole vaulter Yevgeniy
Lukyanenko, sprinter Yevgeniya Polyakova, middle distance runner Anna
Alminova, shot putter Anna Avdeyeva. From younger generation long jumper
Darya Klishina and runners Kseniya Zadorina, Kseniya Vdovina, Yelena Kofanova and
Natalya Popkova. For Paris European Indoor Championships the Russian
team expects 5-7 gold medals and in total 15-16 podium placings. The
team should be a mixture of experience and young generation.
Lebid and Augusto
BRUSSELS (BEL): Last IAAF CC event of the year 2010 will be in Laken
Park the Iris CrossCup in Brussels on Sunday. Top names are fresh
European champions from Albufeira Ukrainian Sergiy Lebid and Portugal´s
Jessica Augusto. In men´s race to note also Kenyan Paul Meli and Italian
Andrea Lalli. In women´s race Ana Dulce Felix of Portugal and Ireland´s
Fionualla Britton are other names to mention.
Top TV deal for European Athletics
LAUSANNE (SUI): European Athletics and the European Broadcasting Union
(EBU) have secured the TV rights for EA events from 2012 to 2015. The
deal incorporates the 2012 European Championships in Helsinki, the 2014
European Championships in Zürich, the 2013 European Indoor championships
in Götenborg and the 2015 European Indoor championships as well as the
European Team Championships and the European Cross Country
Championships. European Athletics has had a partnership with EBU since
1981 and stressed the importance of airing athletics on free-to-air TV
channels across the continent. The European Championships in Barcelona
managed to attract 368 million TV viewers over six days. This is a major
deal supporting the EA philosophy of staging the European Championships
every two years.
Laverne banned
MONACO (MON): Sprinter Laverne Jones-Ferrette of US Virgin Islands will
lose her silver medal from the Doha IAAFWorld indoor championships
earlier this year. She tested positive on February 16th (out of
competition test) and was handed a 6 month ban by the IAAF. Jones
Ferrette clocked the fastest indoor time (6.97) for ten years last
indoor season but disappeared from the scene shortly after. The time
remains valid as it was achieved before the positive test. Cancelled
with World Indoors is also her second place at Aviva Indoor meet in
Birmingham. Jones-Ferrette is expecting baby currently and plans to
return to the track afterwards. Her ban ended on September 30, 2010.
Kenyan party
NAIROBI (KEN): The Nation informs that athletes who did the Kenyan
nation proud this year got their well-deserved dues at the Athletics
Kenya (AK) Golden Gala in Nairobi on Wednesday night. IAAF Athlete of
the Year David Rudisha, marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru, 10km record
holder Leonard Komon, 4×400 m champion Mark Mutai and 10 000 m champion
Grace Momanyi led the more than 50 stars to the big party. Each gold
medalist received a glittering trophy and a Sh30 000 cash award. Current
world record holders received Sh40 000 with the coaches and team
managers each receiving Sh20 000. Also awarded during the gala were
outstanding personalities who have consistently participated towards the
development of the sports in Kenya. Kipchoge Keino, Paul Tergat,
Catherine Ndereba, Tegla Lorupe, Edith Masai and Mercy Mbuko were among
the beneficiaries.
New track for 2011 Worlds
DAEGU (KOR): IAAF informs that a new blue-coloured track supplied by
Mondo was officially inaugurated at the Daegu Stadium on Friday. Among
the dignitaries were the Daegu Mayor Bum-Il Kim; LOC Co-President
Hae-Nyoung Cho; IAAF Council Members Cesar Moreno and Jung-Ki Park;
Andrea Vallauri from Mondo; and LOC Vice President and Secretary General
Dong-Hoo Moon. Nine athletes who won medals in athletics at the
recently concluded Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, were also invited to
the ceremony. After the ribbon-cutting session and a montage of the
medal-winning performances at the Asian Games, the athletes briefly
showcased their respective events to the delight of the participating
media and LOC staff. Andrea Vallauri, export director of the Official
Supplier Mondo, added that the Daegu track would be the same as the one
to be used at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The quality of the Daegu
track is the “most updated” around the world, with colours that
complement the Colorful Daegu brand. The design for the medals that will
be awarded in Daegu were recently approved at the IAAF Council Meeting
in Monaco, and have now been unveiled. The swirls on the front design
signify the gathering of the global athletics family in Daegu and the
official design on the championships in its event look form. The unique
aspect of this design lies in the curves in the middle of the medal, as
well as the full and broken bars surrounding the medal. This design is
similar to the Yin-Yang symbol of the orient, and it represents the
synergy between East and West. Informs IAAF.
OTHER NEWS
AMSTERDAM (NED): Dutch thrower Rutger Smith will make his comeback to
competition in January. Smith has suffered from injuries in the last
years but is now confident he is back in top shape. Smith did not
mention any specific competitions but did say on his website that he
hopes to be among the medal winners at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
INDIANAPOLIS (USA): Vin Lananna and Connie Price-Smith will be the men’s
and women’s head coaches for Team USA at the 2011 IAAF World
Championships in Daegu. The USATF announced the appointments in a press
release and added that Ken Brauman and Diane Wholey will act as men’s
and women’s head managers. During the 2009 IAAF World championships in
Berlin Team USA was ranked on top of the country medal ranking.
DUBAI (UAE): 2008 Chicago Marathon winner Evans Cheruiyot has commited
to running the 2011 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon on January 21st.
Cheruiyot has a personal best of 2:06.25 and is eying a 250,00 dollar
cheque in prize money.
SITTARD (NED): Dutch head coach Georges Friant will retire from his
position after 27 years as pole vault coach. Friant will howevers
continue to train a small group of decathletes which includes European
silver medalist Eelco Sintnicolaas. Friant believes he can higher
Sintnicolaas’ pole vault personal best to 560, which is 20cm higher than
Sintnicolaas’ decathlon pole vault best of 540 writes All Track Press.
PRAVETS (BUL): Council of the Association of Balkan Athletics
Federations met in Pravets and recieved good news about renovation of
the track in Pravets. The renovation will be done with the support of
Bulgarian
Governement with Pravets Municipality and Russian company Lukoil.
The project includes 8 lanes track with 10 000 places for spectators and
also warm-up track. The main Balkan senior championships are planned
for July 2-3 in Sliven, Bulgaria.
NEW YORK (USA): Canadian world and olympic medalist Priscilla
Lopes-Schliep will open her season at 104th Millrose Games in New York
on January 28. Recently elected Canadian AOY 2010 and Diamond League
winner will try to win in the Madison Square Garden for fourth time in a
row. Afterwards she will head to Europe for meetings, so far two are
confirmed. Her best at 60 m hurdles is 7.82 from last season Stuttgart
meet win.
LOS ANGELES (USA): Ken Nakamura sends another statistical view, now
about number of sub 10 by seasons in the 100 m men´s race. Tyson Gay
made a statement that we will see more sub-10 100m ever in the upcoming
season. Since 1997 the best year was 2008 with 53 sub 10 performances by
14 performers. In 2010 37 such times were registered by 13 athletes.
The worst year since 1997 was 2003 with nine sub ten marks.
SAN ANTONIO (USA): Virginia Tech’s hurdler Queen Harrison and Oregon’s
combined eventer Ashton Eaton were crowned as the 2010 recipients of The
Bowerman award in a ceremony last night. The award, presented by the
U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA),
is bestowed upon the year’s best collegiate track & field
athletes. Harrison, a native of Richmond, Va., became the first female
in NCAA history to win both 100- and 400-meter hurdle national titles.
Eaton, a native of Bend, Ore., won a second-straight NCAA heptathlon
title during the indoor season and a third-consecutive NCAA decathlon
title outdoors. He also improved the world indoor heptathlon record.
Runners Andrew Wheating of the University of Oregon, the NCAA 800m and
1500m champion, and Lisa Koll of Iowa State University, the NCAA 5000m
and 10,000m champion, were also amongst the six nominees. Writes RRW.
MIAMI BEACH (USA): Race Results Weekly informs that Competitor Group
Inc., the owner and organizer of the musically-themed Rock ‘n’ Roll
Marathons and Half-Marathons, as well as the Country Music Marathon,
have extended their reach to Miami Beach. The company, based in San
Diego, Calif., announced the first-ever Dodge Latin Music Miami Beach
Half Marathon for Sunday, December 11, 2011. “As the Rock ‘n’ Roll
series continues to grow, we take special care in choosing a city we
know our runners will love,” said Peter Englehart, CEO of CGI. “We have
great respect for the vibrancy and diversity of the Latin music culture
and the Miami Beach destination brings a unique flavor to our series as
we strive to provide the very best to our participants by creating
world-class events nationwide.” Miami already has a marathon and
half-marathon, the ING Miami Marathon & Half-Marathon, which is
scheduled for Sunday, January 30, 2011.
MONTE CARLO (MON): IAAF confirmed oficially the disqualification of Team
Jamaica in women´s 4×400 m relay at World Indoor Championships in Doha
following the doping sanction of one of its members, Bobby-Gaye
Wilkins. The results are changed accordingly, medals will be
redistributed with the Czech Republic now in bronze position and Great
Britain beeing fourth.
BERLIN (GER): The German Athletics Association (DLV) has released its
standards for the IAAF World championships in Daegu. Due to tougher A
standards by the IAAF the DLV has higher standards in all 22 events
compared to the last World Championships in Berlin. New is that every
athlete who wins the German national championships in July and performs
the A standard will automatically be qualified.
BERLIN (GER): Pole vaulter Tim Lobinger features in a German football
coaching video. Lobinger presents strength exercises that football
coaches can use in training. Legendary coach Ottmar Hitzfeld highly
praised the video and said to be impressed by Lobinger, writes
leichtathletik.de.
LONDON (GBR): The chief executive of UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Andy
Parkinson has warned that the British Olympic Association’s (BOA)
lifetime ban on drugs cheats is impeding the battle to stamp out the use
of performance-enhancing drugs in sport reports Insidethegames.biz.
Parkinson also criticised the IOC’s new rule on banning an athlete from
competing in the next Olympic Games. “We have seen in the US and also
here in the UK how going beyond the anti-doping rules established by
WADA creates confusion and impedes our role,” Parkinson wrote in a blog
published on insidethegames. The World Anti-Doping Code encourages
athletes to provide substantial assistance which can be grounds for a
reduction in the sanction period. Parkinson believes that athletes would
be more willing to cooperate with the UKAD if there was an incentive
for them to be allowed to compete in the Olympics. Without an incentive
Parkinson feels that athletes will stay reluctant to share their stories
and information and the UKAD will continue to struggle to catch those
who are supplying performance enhancing substances and often operate on
the edges of sport. British Olympic Association chief executive Andy
Hunt said for the BBC that the vast majority of GB athletes do not want
to see a change in the current policy barring drug cheats from future
Olympic Games.
GENT (BEL): Retired 400 m runner Cédric Van Branteghem has won the
Belgian award ‘Sportjuweel’ which is an award that celebrates a special
sport performance or the end of a special career in sports. Van
Branteghem captained the Belgian 4x400m team to several international
medals and ended his career at this year’s Brussels Diamond League
meeting. His PB stands at 45.02 which was at the time Belgian record.
LONDON (GBR): Nineteen years after making his international GB debut,
sprinter Allyn Condon (36) is taking a break from his recent bobsleigh
venture to take to the track once more. As Athletics Weekly informs, “I
will be back in a sled next year and will be carrying on until the Sochi
Olympics in 2014, but I also feel my fitness has dipped since finishing
in 2005 and feel some time back on track will help resolve this issue. I
genuinely feel with a good season behind me in 2011 I could challenge
to make the team in 2012,” he said. “My legs are fresh and ready to go,”
said Condon.
RESULTS
EAUBONNE (FRA, Dec 15): Bruno Naprix clocked solid 21.18 at 200 m here.
He is European U23 4×400 m relay medalist and improved so his indoor
best.
MANZINI (SWA, Dec 14-16): Southern Africa Under 20 Games saw South
Africa´s Luvo Manyonga achieving 778 in the long jump and 220 in the
high jump by Gobe Takobana of Botswana. South African Waide Jooste won
the 100 m in 10.46.
