RESULTS

HIROSHIMA (JPN, Apr 29): Former world youth champion Sally Chepyego
posted solid 15:13.09 at 5000
m during the Oda Memorial Meet in windy and cool
conditions. Second Japanes World Youth medalist 2005 Hitomi Niiya improved to
15:17.84. In men´s 5000 m
Kenyan win for Charles Ndirango in 13:31.21. Top Japanese sprinters did not had
the best day. Masashi Eriguchi did not qualify for the A-final after 10.34 as
third in his heat (+2.3) and later won the B-final with 10.22 (+2.8). Winning
Yusuke Kotani improved his best to 10.28 (+1.2) ahead of Ryota Yamagata
(10.34). Chisato Fukushima in women 100 m after heats did not compete in the finals
when feeling twitch in her calf after warm-up. Australian Melissa Breen
achieved windy 11.27 (+2.6) to win ahead of Kana Ichikawa (11.28). Japanese
pole vault record holder Daichi Sawano won with 550 and failed three attempts
at 572 in
not very favorable weather, mainly strong wind.

ZHUKOVSKIY (RUS, Apr 29): European indoor medalist Yelena Zadorozhnaya
won the Russian CC title at 2
km in 6:05. Second Irina Dmitriyeva (6:13) ahead of Anna
Gavryuk (6:13). Irina Sergeyeva defended her 6 km title in 19:18 beating
clearly Lyudmila Lebedeva (19:50). Male titles to Aleksandr Krivchonkov at 4 km (11:16) and Andrey Leyman
at 8 km
(23:51).

PHILADELPHIA (USA,
Apr 29): Texas
AM girls won the University 4×100 m at Penn Relays with 43.24 ahead of LSU
43.49. Jamaican Leford Green got the 400 m hurdles in 50.00 and his younger
country-mate Travis Smikle realised in discus new HS meet record 69.55 m (1.62 kg implement, lighter
than normal junior 1.75 kg,
but used in US). Marquise Goodwin leaped to windy 801 (+3.8) and legal 797
(+1.9) in the long jump. Fastest in University 100 m heats were Zimbabwe´s
Gabriel Mvumvure 10.36 (+0.4) and Trinidad´s Semoy Hackett (11.38, -0.6).
National indoor 110mH champion Omo Osaghae posted 13.75 (+0.7) in heats.

DES MOINES (USA,
Apr 29): Nice crowd of 11 131 spectators watched the action at Drake Relays on
Friday. NCAA sprint standout Rakieem Salaam was the best in 100 m heats (10.35, -1.4).
Natalie Willer cleared 430 in
the pole vault.

JOPLIN (USA, Apr 29): Clive Chafausipo
leaped at Laptad/Williams Invitational to windy 809 (+4.3) in the long jump.

SAO PAULO (BRA, Apr 29): Solid results at Brazilian long
distances track championships. Simone Alves da Silva won the women 10 000 m in 32:46.0. Male
winner Damiao Ancelmo de Souza clocked 28:45.9. In the steeple races 8:45.1 for
1500 m
national record holder Hudson Santos de Souza and 10:12.1 for South American
record holder Sabine Heitling.

STELLENBOSCH (RSA, Apr 29): World champion Caster Semenya registered a
double at South African University Championships with winning the 1500 m (4:22.64) and later
the 400 m
(53.18). National champion Simon Magakwe got 10.33 in the 100 m.

NEWS

HENGELO (NED): Excellent discus throw competition is
prepared for the 29th edition of the FBK Games in Hengelo (IAAF World Challenge) on May 29. Top
home throwers who are already in great shape Erik Cadee and Rutger Smith will
fight with world champion Robert Harting of Germany,
Poland´s European champion Piotr Malachowski and all-time hero Virgilijus
Alekna of Lithuania.
Alekna is also meet record holder with 69.57 from 2005.

STOCKHOLM (SWE): Pole vault World junior record holder
Angelica Bengtsson will start into the summer season later than expected. It is
because an injury. She wanted to jump on June 9 in Oslo at the Bislett Games/Samsung Diamond
League meet, but that is now not possible. Also under question is her
appearance at the European Team Championships in Stockholm on June 18.

ATHENS (GRE): Greek long jump record holder Louis
Tsatoumas after the indoor injury which prevented him to compete at full
strength at European Indoor Championships plans for summer. His first meet
should be in Kalamata on June 4 and then Oslo Diamond League on June 9.

PONCE (PUR): Great sprints are expected at Ponce
Grand Prix meet in Puerto-Rico on May 14 (area permit meeting). The Francisco
Montaner Stadium will see at the 5th edition of the event olympic winner
Melaine Walker of Jamaica
in the women 400 m
hurdles. Her main rival will be US Sheena Tosta. World number one last year
Jeremy Wariner competes in the 400
m. High quality also in the women one lap with US Natasha
Hastings, DeeDee Trotter and Jamaican Novlene Williams-Mills. Other 400 m specialist Debbie Dunn
will run the 200 m.
The main interest of the spectators will be orientated towards men´s 400 m hurdles where best
current local athlete, Berlin
medalist Javier Culson will run. His main opponent will be Trinidad´s talent
Jehue Gordon. In the women 100
m Bahamian Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie
runs against US Lauryn Williams. In the men 100 m former top champion
Justin Gatlin is the top name. Jamaican Deloreen Ennis runs the 100 m hurdles.

BELFAST (GBR): The 30th Anniversary of the Belfast
City Marathon takes place next Bank Holiday Monday. Triple Belfast Marathon
winner Kenyan John Mutai will once again be aiming to capture a 4th title in
Monday’s 30th running of the Deep RiverRock event (Start at the City Hall at
9am). This year he will face probably his toughest opposition yet in a bid to
capture a possible 6000 GBP first prize which includes a roll over fund to
break the course record. Last year Mutai had to settle for second place after
arch rival Urga Negewo of Ethiopia
simply tracked the Kenyan for the entire 26 miles before unleashing
a sprint finish to snatch a 6 secs victory. With an 18 year age advantage
Negewo should fancy his chances of beating Mutai again even though the older
man recorded another consistent 2hrs 16 mins marathon last autumn. This dual
may not however occur as Negewo is still awaiting his visa to travel to the UK. Informs
Athletics Ireland website. In any event both men might well have to play second
fiddle to Ukranian Andriy Toptun who has 2:12:08 best from last year Dusseldorf
Marathon.

DOHA (QAT): German 2008 World junior pole vault champion Raphael Holzdeppe
returns after injury deleted his plans for indoor season into action at Samsung
Diamond League opener in Doha
on May 6. Also two other top German vaulters are scheduled to compete Malte
Mohr and Fabian Schulze. Main headliner of the event is French European indoor
and outdoor champion Renaud Lavillenie. For the Germans the Daegu standard is 572 cm.

PHILADELPHIA (USA):
Jamaica will send into
action very strong teams against USA on Saturday at Penn Relays.
Male 4×100 m is composed as already reported by EME NEWS by Michael Frater,
Nesta Carter, world leader Steve Mullings and star sprinter Asafa Powell. USA
Red will have also super line-up with Walter Dix, Wallace Spearmon, Trell
Kimmons and Mike Rodgers. Blue Team of USA is having Justin Gatlin, Darvis
Patton, Shawn Crawford and Ivory Williams. Not to underestimate also Trinidad with Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Emmanuell
Callender and Richard Thompson. Also strong the women 4×100 m of Jamaica with
Kerron Stewart, Sherone Simpson, Aleen Bailey and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. But USA red looks
even stronger with Lauryn Williams, Allyson Felix, Marshevet Myers and
Carmelita Jeter. In the 4×400 m more quality could be expected in women race. US Red has
Debbie Dunn, Allyson Felix, Natasha Hastings and Sanya Richards-Ross. Jamaica sends
Christine Day, Kaliese Spencer, Novlene Williams-Mills and Shericka Williams.
In the men´s 4×400 m US Teams are the clear favorites. Interestingly in both
squads hurdlers are playing important roles. In the Blue one David Neville,
Kerron Clement, Justin Gaymon and Johnny Dutch. In the Red Quentin Summers, Jamal
Torrance,
Bershawn Jackson and Angelo Taylor. Interesting to see Grenada with young super talent
Kirani James, the national record 3:06.98 should go.

MINNEAPOLIS (USA):
Two-time event winner David Torrence and Olympian Anna Pierce will return to
defend their USA 1 Mile
Road titles at the Medtronic TC 1
Mile in downtown Minneapolis
on May 12, event organizer Twin Cities In Motion announced. The pair will
battle for $22,500 in prize money, plus a pair of $10,000 time bonuses.

—