Vera Sokolova took 33 seconds off the 20k WR for women in the racewalk on Saturday, February 26, in Sochi, Russia.

Usain Bolt is planning his 2011 season and has agreed to compete at Aveva Paris, one of the 2011 Samsung DL.

Will the chance of a showdown between Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt keep sport fans excited? photo by PhotoRun.net.

BOLT
ANNOUNCED FOR PARIS
DL

PARIS (FRA): Fastest man in the
world Usain Bolt will return also this year to Meeting AREVA in Paris. The French leg of
Samsung Diamond League will be staged on July 8 at Stade de France. Bolt is
scheduled to run the 200 m
after two 100 m
wins at the meet in last two years (2009 and 2010). Organizers are informing in
a release with a hope, that one of the main rivals for Bolt at brand new track
will be European Champion Christophe Lemaitre. The Jamaican sprinter plans to
open the season early May in Kingston at IAAF World Challenge meet (May 7),
other confirmed meets for him are Diamond League events in Rome (May 26, 100 m) and Oslo (June 9, 200 m).

WORLD
RECORD 1:25:08 FOR VERA SOKOLOVA

SOCHI
(RUS, Feb 26): Barcelona
bronze winner and former world youth and junior champion Vera Sokolova clocked
new 20 km
walking road world record 1:25:08. At Russian Winter Walking Championships she
improved the official mark of another Russian Olimpiada Ivanova 1:25:41 from
Helsinki 2005 World Championships by 33 seconds. There have been several faster
times registered in Russia
in past years (fastest 1:24:50 by Olimpiada Ivanova in 2001) but in all cases
the conditions for world record ratification were not fulfilled. For first time
this year the necessary number of international judges was available in Sochi
(Briton Peter Marlow, Spanish Luis Saladie and IrelandÂ´s Pierce OÂ´Callaghan),
also doping control is organised, the course is certified and the event belongs
to Daegu qualification competitions set by IAAF. Second Anisiya Kirdyapkina who
was fighting with Sokolova the whole distance achieved 1:25:09, new European
U23 record. For both the 10 km
split was 42:04, the temperature during the race was at 12 degrees Celsius
level. Third was last year world junior
silver medalist from Moncton Anna Lukyanova in her 20 km debut 1:27:49. Two more
achieved sub 1:30 times, fourth Tatyana Korotkova 1:28:38 and fifth Irina
Yumanova 1:29:26. Close to the top duo were also Tatyana Sibileva with Tatyana
Shemyakina, but both were disqualified. In menÂ´s 20 km world leading 1:19:14
for Vladimir Kanaykin as the winner ahead of Sergey Morozov 1:20:08 and Andrey
Krivov 1:20:16. Under 1:21 also fourth Pyotr Bogatyrev (1:20:18) and fifth
Pyotr Trofimov (1:20:31). The Winter Championships is also selection meet for
European Cup in walking in May in Portugal. Byes for this event were
recieved by top champions Olga Kaniskina, Valeriy Borchin, Sergey Kirdyapkin
and Stanislav Yemelyanov who will compete in spring at IAAF Challenge races and
their main priority is Daegu. In the 35 km menÂ´s competition Igor Yerokhin won with
2:26:36 ahead of silver olympic medalist Denis Nizhegorodov 2:27:08 who
returned after one year because of an injury. Third place for Denis Strelkov
(2:27:52) and fourth Andrey Ruzavin as last went under 2:30 (2:28:17).

PERKOVIC
BEST DISCUS SINCE 2007

SPLIT (CRO, Feb 26): European discus champion
Sandra Perkovic impressed at Croatian Winter Throwing Championships. She achieved
two Croatian national records. In discus high quality 67.96 m and in shot put 16.40 m. Her former discus
mark was the 66.93 from Van Damme Memorial last year in Brussels. It is also the best female discus
result since May 19, 2007 when Franka Dietzsch achieved 68.06.

NATIONAL
INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

LEIPZIG (GER, Feb 26): Sabine Krantz achieved
world leading 12:18.12 at 3000
m walk during the first day of German Championships
(second Melanie Seeger 12:31.43). European leading mark of the year for Christina
Schwanitz in shot put (18.87). Reigning European indoor champion Sebastian
Bayer confirmed improved shape with 802 long jump win (second Nils Winter 792,
Christian Reif is injured). Triple jump list leader Katja Demut won her event
with meeting record 14.20. Sensation in menÂ´s shot put when David Storl coming
from an illness beat with 20.70 the favorite Ralf Bartels (20.68, third Marco
Schmidt 20.41). European 100 m
champion Verena Sailer won the 60
m in 7.28 and had faster 7.25 in semis. Christian
Blum was improving with every race of 60 m, he started with 6.67 in heats, followed by 6.65 in semis and 6.63 win
in the final. Second Martin Keller 6.65. Malte Mohr was clear winner of pole
vault with two jumps at 550 and 565. Second surprisingly veteran Tim Lobinger
560. Fast times in 400 m
heats by Thomas Schneider 46.56 and Janin Lindenberg 52.26.

POMBAL (POR, Feb 26): 2006
double European champion Francis Obikwelu surprisingly lost the 60 m final during first day of
Portugal Indoor Championships in 6.70. Winner Arnaldo Abrantes clocked 6.65,
personal best. As usual excellent women 3000 m walk won by Ines Henriques 12:28.70 over
Ana Cabecinha 12:46.24. Double European indoor champion Naide Gomes leaped to 659 in long jump. Sara
Moreira won the 1500 m
in 4:15.14.

GOTEBORG (SWE, Feb 26): Ebba Jungmark
improved during first day of Swedish Championships when clearing 193 in second attempt of
high jump. She tried then at 195. Versatile Lena Berntsson won the 60 m in 7.39, menÂ´s fastest
was Stefan Tarnhuvud with 6.77. Alhaji Jeng cleared 555 in the pole vault.

OTHER
INDOOR RESULTS

GLASGOW (GBR, Feb 26): Tori Pena improved her Irish pole vault
record to 431 to win Scottish Champs.

CARDIFF (GBR, Feb 26): Robbie Grabarz cleared
225 in
high jump at McCain City Challenge.

SHANGHAI (CHN, Feb 26): Fast 60 m during first day of
second National GP meet. Zheng Dongsheng clocked 6.67 personal best ahead of
Guo Fang 6.68. Su Xiongfeng was the best in long jump (791). Informs
Tilastopaja.

MOGILYOV (BLR, Feb 26): In junior
indoor match Ukraine beats Belarus
396:358. Top marks by 15 years old Marina Bekh in long jump (632) and 220
clearance of Andrey Kovalov (both Belarus) in high jump.

VILNIUS
(LTU, Feb 26): Estonia won
youth indoor match (224) over Lithuania
(216) and Latvia
(136).

APELDOORN
(NED, Feb 26): Dutch runners fulfilled Paris
standard at 1500 m
during University Championships. Ate van der Burgt 3:42.70 ahead of Wouter de
Boer 3:43.13 and Rene Stokvis 3:43.75. Valuable pacemaker was Arnaud Okken
until 1100 m.

FLAGSTAFF (USA, Feb 19): In
late addition to note that Jill Camarena-Williams achieved in women shot put
19.03 at Lumberjack meet as first this season over 19 meters.

OTHER
OUTDOOR RESULTS

SHUMEN (BUL, Feb 26): National CC
Championships winners were Yolo Nikolov at menÂ´s 10 km and Silvia Danekova in
womenÂ´s 8 km
(31:00).

HOLBAEK (DEN, Feb 26): Maria
Sig Moller won the women 8 km
at Danish CC Championships (29:56). In menÂ´s 10 km Morten Munkholm (31:46)
beat Andreas Bueno (31:53).

WARENDORF (GER, Feb 26): German
favorite Sabrina Mockenhaupt won the 3.8 km race at European Military CC
Championships with 12:41. French Samira Mezeghrane was second (12:48). Bronze
medal remains also in Germany
as Elina Sujew clocked 13:00 as third. French runners dominated menÂ´s race at
the same distance as Hakim Metzougin (10:51) was the best ahead of Alaoui
Youssef Ismail (10:52) and James Theuri (10:53). Fourth place for best German
Musa Roba-Kinkal (10:56). In the long race (9.8 km) surprise win for
Swiss Philipp Bandi (27:47) ahead of French runners Lhacen Amgul (27:52) and
Jean-Claude Niyongizie (28:15).

BERCY NEWS

MOSCOW
(RUS): European indoor champion from Barcelona Svetlana Feofanova will not
compete next week in Paris.
It was confirmed by her management. That means Russia will have most probably at
European Indoor Championships in women pole vault only Aleksandra Kiryashova as
Yelena Isinbayeva withdrew earlier due to illness. The final Russian
composition for Bercy will be announced on Monday.

AMSTERDAM
(NED): 2007 European indoor champion at 60 m hurdles Gregory Sedoc informed he will not
be able to run in Paris after his injury from Dusseldorf meeting.
Another withdrawal in Netherlands
is Arnaud Okken who also won the European indoor title 2007 in Birmingham (800 m). He is claiming not
having the right shape. Final team selection will be announced on Monday.

DUBLIN (IRL): New addition into Irish team is
the female 400 m
runner Marian Heffernan, the wife of Irish race walking record holder.

BRUSSELS
(BEL): Five men and five women will represent Belgium
in Paris in
individual events. In women ranks mainly triple jump Barcelona medalist Svetlana Bolshakova (but
still not decided because of an injury) with hurdler Elisabeth Davin and 1500 m runners Lindsey De Grande
and Sigrid Vanden Bempt. Sara Aerts was invited for pentathlon. Five individual
men are Damien Broothaerts and Adrien Deghelt for 60 m hurdles, Kristof Van
Malderen for 1500 m
and two heptahletes by invitation Hans Van Alphen and Thomas Van der Plaetsen.
But the biggest medal hope will be menÂ´s 4×400 m with Borlee twins (Kevin and
Jonathan) added by Nils Duerinck, Antoine Gillet, Arnaud Destatte and Arnaud
Ghislain.

SAD NEWS

LONDON (GBR):
Peter Hildreth died peacefully, according to his wife Carol, on Friday
evening at 19.30. Hildreth, 82 was a six-time AAA high hurdles champion, a
three-time Olympian, 1952-60, and won a bronze medal at the European
Championships in 1950. He equalled the UK record of 14.3sec for his
speciality on five occasions. He went on to become Sunday Telegraph athletics
correspondent, and provide commentary for BBC Radio. Informs Pat Butcher.

CORRECTION

NORMAN
(USA,
Feb 25): Irish runner David Rooney did not improve hugely to 13:46.25 win at 5000 m at Southland Conference
Champs. The race was short by one lap.

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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