FARAH
WINS, MASAI BEATS CHERUIYOT

EDINBURGH (GBR, Jan 8): Double
European Champion Mo Farah produced a great start to his New Year with an
awesome performance to win the the International Men’s Team Challenge at the
Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country (IAAF CC Permit) on Saturday. Informs David
Martin. Farah destroyed the hopes of his rivals with a tactical break with over
a lap remaining, winning the 8
km race in 25:41 ahead of the USA’s
Galen Rupp (25:50) and Spain’s
Ayad Lamdassem (25:55). His individual effort however was not good enough to
guarantee a host nation victory. The performance of Lamdassem who was followed
home by Sergey Lebid (fourth 26:00) led a Europe Select team to victory with 50
points. The United States
finished three points behind with the Aviva GB & NI seniors third totalling
69pts and its U23s squad fourth, aggregating 164. Track 10 000 m reigning world
champion Linet Masai of Kenya continued her outstanding winter form when
clinching the 5.7 km
title for the second time in three years in 20:24 while there was a brave run
from European Junior cross country Charlotte Purdue, first Briton home in
fourth place. Second was young Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba (20:30) ahead of 5000 m world champion Vivian
Cheruiyot (20:36). Eliud Kipchoge winner of the inuagural long course race six
years ago added to that success when cruising to the International 4km race
title in 13:12. Behind him Kenyan’s, the Olympic 1500m and 3000m steeplechaae
champions Asbel Kiprop and Brimin Kipruto who clocked 13:18 and 13:19. Best
Briton Steve Vernon
was fourth in 13:21.

WYLUDDA
AFTER AMPUTATION

HALLE (GER): Former discus olympic winner
Ilke Wyludda (41) has had part of her right leg amputated on December 9
following a bacterial infection which led to blood poisoning, German media are
informing. “I had the choice of either losing the leg or my life, but I wanted
to live,” she said. She had undergone several operations on her knee and lower
leg following retirement. She was European Champion in 1990 and 1994 and won
silvers at World Championships in 1991 and 1995. Her best of 74.56 is the
second best ever in the performers list.

BLANCO
DENIES

MADRID (ESP): Spanish media are informing
that bronze medal steeple winner from European Championships Jose Luis Blanco
is going to be suspended for two years by the national federation RFEA. He was
positive for EPO at national championships last July in Aviles. RFEA did not confirm oficially the
verdict. In case of confirmation he will not only lose the bronze from Barcelona but also the national title, 12th place from
Weltklasse Zurich and 10th place from Continental Cup in Split. The medal will go to Moldovan Ion
Luchianov (Tomasz Szymkowiak of Poland
will move to fourth). National title will be given to Angel Mullera. According
to other sources, the Catalan athlete is alson linked with “Operation
Greyhound.” Blanco in his statement denied any wrongdoings and asked to respect
the presumption of innocence. He is ready to fight in the courts for his
innocence. He also said that there is no connection between him and the
Operation Greyhound.

OTHER NEWS

LAUSANNE
(SUI): Lithuanian decathlete Darius Draudvila is among the 10 nominees for the
2010 World Fair Play Awards, which will be awarded in Lausanne
on January 27, for his selfless act of sportsmanship at the European Athletic
Championships in Barcelona
this summer. If it had not been for Draudvila lending his Belarus rival Andrei
Krauchanka his equipment during the pole vault on the second day, Krauchanka would
not have been able to score points in that event and would not have gone on to
win the bronze medal in Barcelona.

HANOVER (JAM): World and Olympic 100 m winner Shelly
Ann-Fraser and Jason Pryce were confirmed as husband and wife on Friday. She is
now Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. The newlyweds gracefully seal the deal as they
participate in the sand ceremony. Informs Jamaica Gleaner.

KINGSTON
(JAM): Hurling (Irelands
national sport) known as the fastest field game in the world, and the world’s
fastest man Usain Bolt, will cross paths at the recently opened Chukka
Adventure Tours in a Digicel promotion. The 2010 All-Ireland Hurling Champions
are to spend the day with Bolt at the adventure park in Trelawny, where the
team will also have a chance to teach the sprint sensation the basics of the
“fastest playing game in the world”. Informs Jamaica Observer.

KINGSTON (JAM): Talented Jamaican sprinter
and Youth Olympic Games winner Odean Skeen and his preparations for the 2011
track and field season have been hampered by a nagging back injury. “My
preparations have been slow due to a back injury I suffered in early December,
however, I’m back in training and working really hard to get into top shape,”
he said.

CHRISTCHURCH
(NZL): New Zealand´s top athlete, shot put olympic and world winner Valerie
Adams will compete at the International Track Meet in Christchurch on Februay 26.

KINGSTON
(JAM): Jamaica Observer informs that the staging of the prestigious Gibson
Relays has been cancelled due to the delay in the completion of the track at
the National Stadium in Kingston.
Chairman of the organising committee, Neville ‘Teddy’ McCook, confirmed that
the decision has been taken to cancel the one-day relay carnival planned for
February.

ZAGREB (CRO): Croatian media are informing
that World best female athlete of 2010 high jumper Blanka Vlasic and her family
and portal index.hr settled outside the court about the sex tape that the
portal published in early March, claiming that its main star is Blanca Vlasic.
Soon, they themselves realized that it was a mistake. At that time Blanka was
in Doha, where
she won, despite this disruption, Indoor World Championship gold. Given the
fact that the portal admitted their mistake, the Vlasic family agreed to
negotiate out of court. They agreed on the compensation of 40,000 kuna (around
7000 USD). Vlasic family did not want to keep that money and decided to give it
to charity organisation Mirta Association.

RESULTS

CAMPBELLTOWN (AUS, Jan 8):
National Championships finalist Liam Gander scored a nice sprint double here
with 10.43 (+1.2) and 21.12 (+0.4) at 100/200 m.

NEW YORK
(USA, Jan 7): At Metro
Coaches Invitational Lalonde Gordon of Trinidad
posted 21.23 at 200 m.

CLEMSON (USA, Jan 7): At Clemson
Invitational Chris Lawson clocked 6.68 at 60 m and Jamaican CAC Games 400 m hurdles winner Leford
Green achieved 1:03.50 at 500
m. 19-years old Jasmine Edgerson got solid 7.37 at 60 m.

COLUMBIA
(USA,
Jan 7): Jamaican Dwain Bryden improved to 6.70 while winning the 60 m at the Missouri Invite
meet.

FAYETTEVILLE
(USA,
Jan 7): Antwon Hicks started the indoor season with good 7.69 at 60 m hurdles. World junior
relay winner Michael Granger posted 6.67 at 60 m. Slovenian record holder
Tina Sutej cleared 440 in
pole vault. Jamaican Tarik Batchelor improved in triple jump from 16.07 to
16.52. Sub 50 hurdler Lee Moore won the 600 m in 1:18.92.

POMBAL (POR, Jan 8): Portugal indoor
season started with Antonio Abrantes clocking 6.79 and 6.76 at 60 m.

PRAGUE (CZE, Jan 8): In the Strahov hall
solid start for Oldriska Maresova in high jump (187) and Jirina Ptacnikova
(420) in pole vault.

BRNO (CZE, Jan 8): 18-years old junior Martin
Heindl is the newest 220 cm
high jump club member. At local meet he cleared that height and improved his
best from 215 cm.

NICE (FRA, Jan 8): Italian vice
hurdles champion Emanuele Abate improved to 6.73 at 50 m hurdles here.

CHELYABINSK (RUS, Jan 6): Natalya Makarova
won the 5000 m
walking during the 12th Elena Rodionova Memorial meet with 21:41.3. Yuriy
Andronov was the best in men´s race after 19:29.6.

ITEN (KEN, Jan 8): Rose Kosgei
won the next leg of Kenyan CC series with 28:27 at 8 km ahead Viola Kibiwott
(28:32) and Syliva Kibet (28:51). Africa Senior 10 000 m bronze medallist
Geoffrey Mutai (37:06) shook off new talents Philemon Rono (37:53) and Richard
Sigei (38:00) to win the senior men’s 12 km race. World junior 3000 m champion Isaiah
Kiplangat won junior 8 km
in an impressive 24:35. Informs The Nation.

JACKSON
(USA,
Jan 8): Kenyan wins at 4th Mississippi Blues Marathon. Peter Kemboi clocked
2:19:47 to win over Mark Chepses (2:19:51). In women category the winner
Truphena Tarus got 2:40:18 ahead of US Camille Herron (2:41:26). Around 2300
runners were registered in all races.