POWELL AT 200 M

KINGSTON (JAM): Former world record holder Asafa Powell
will run the 200 m
at the Jamaica Invitational (part of IAAF World Challenge) on May 7. That was
confirmed by his management. His best at the distance is 19.90 from winning the
national title back in 2006. Powell also got the national 200 m title last year in Kingston with 19.97. He
is returning to the top Jamaican one day fixture for first time since 2006 and
it will be his first international 200 m since 2007. His main rival will be Berlin fifth placer at
the distance and current 100 m
world leader Steve Mullings. Daniel Bailey of Antigua
with top Jamaicans Yohan Blake, Nesta Carter and Michael Frater will be running
the 100 m.

RUDISHA, KAKI, SOM OUT, BUT KIPROP
IS THE NAME

DOHA (QAT): David Rudisha has regrettably been forced to withdraw from the
men’s 800 meters
at the opening Samsung Diamond League meeting in Doha. He is suffering from a left foot injury
that is not considered serious but has prevented him training this last week.
“I am very disappointed not to be able to run at this meeting, where I have
opened my summer racing season for the last four years,” said Rudisha. His
doctor has described the injury as: ‘peritendinitis of the foot’s flexor muscles
of the left lower leg, no injury of the ankle, no stress reaction/fracture, no
cartilage injury.’ At this stage it is not expected to impact on his
participation in further races at the end of May in Rome
(800 m)
and Ostrava (1000 m). Double World Indoor
champion Abubaker Kaki, one of Rudisha’s chief rivals, has also pulled out of
the 800 m
due to a small muscular injury. Also Dutch former European Champion Bram Som
cancelled his participation. He needs more training to be in the right shape.

RADCLIFFE OUT OF MANCHESTER

MANCHESTER (GBR): Marathon
world record holder Paula Radcliffe has been forced because of a recent illness
to withdraw from making her long awaited racing comeback at the Bupa Great
Manchester Run on May 15. Radcliffe who in the last week has been suffering
from a chest and throat infection feels she is still not ready to compete at
this level and has reluctantly taken the decision to pull out of the country’s
biggest 10 kilometers
road race. ” I’m really really disappointed to have to pull out of the Great
Manchester Run,” said Radcliffe. “I have missed racing so much and was so
looking forward to running in Manchester
in such a vibrant event. However, frustrated as I am, I know that the main
focus for me is next year’s Olympic marathon and achieving a qualifying
standard later this year,” said Radcliffe in the release of the organizers.

SPOTAKOVA TO OPEN IN GERMANY

PRAGUE (CZE): Javelin world record holder Barbora
Spotakova returned from her first 2 months long training camp in South Africa
under the guidance of legendary Jan Zelezny. Three time olympic winner is her
coach since last autumn. She was satisfied and is now ready to start her
outdoor season. As she said for the Czech media her first meet will be at small
competition on May 15 in
Schwandorf, Germany. ” I wanted to start at
something rather small and this is exactly that and it is close to Czech Republic,”
said Spotakova. Her first top meetings in the season will be Rome,
Ostrava, Eugene
followed by Prague Odlozil Memorial on June 13 and European Team Championships
in Stockholm.
Her aims are clear for 2011. To win in Daegu at World Championships and to
defend her Diamond Race trophy.

MORE NAMES FOR GOLDEN GALA

ROMA (ITA): More stars were announced by organisers of the Compeed Golden
Gala, the third leg of the Samsung Diamond League, which will celebrate it’s
31st edition on 26 May. At the moment, 15 Olympic gold medallists, 19 reigning
World champions and 10 European champions will be taking part at the historical
1960 Olympic Stadium in the Italian capital. Informs IAAF. Diamond Race winner
Imane Merga of Ethiopia
is the star of the 5000 m.
The women’s sprint race field has as additions to the famous duo
Richards-Ross/Felix in the 200m Jamaican Kerron Stewart and World and Olympic silver
medallist Shericka Williams will run the 400m. The women’s 1500m will be
highlighted by World champion Maryam Yusuf Jamal and Olympic champion Nancy
Langat, while the women’s 3000m Steeplechase will feature Kenyan Milcah Chemos
Cheywa, the World bronze medallist and 2010 Diamond League winner in her
discipline. World Indoor and Outdoor champion Brittney Reese will the top name
in the women’s Jong Jump. The men’s Shot Put podium from the World
Championships in Berlin 2009 will be in the spotlight with US gold
medallist Christian Cantwell (together with his compatriot Reese Hoffa),
Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski (silver) and German Ralf Bartels (bronze). In
the women’s Discus Throw Cuban Olympic and World silver medallist Yarelis
Barrios will come up against European gold medallist Sandra Perkovic and Berlin’s World bronze
medallist Nicoleta Grasu. Italian High Jump record holder Antonietta Di Martino
will return to competitions at the Olympic Stadium in her first meeting since
her European Indoor victory in Paris.
In the men’s Triple Jump, Fabrizio Donato, European indoor silver medallist
with the new Italian indoor record of 17.73m will face Cuban World bronze
medallist Alexis Copello from Cuba,
Sweden’s Christian Olsson,
Olympic gold medallist in Athens 2004.m The
4×100 relay will be highlighted by the first clash between Italy and France
since the Euroepan Championships in Barcelona.
Writes IAAF.

DIX AND FEMALE HURDLERS LEADING
THE SPRINTERS

DOHA (QAT): Friday´s Samsung Diamond League opener will have in sprints as
headliner US
olympic medalist Walter Dix for the 200 m. Great 100 m hurdles duel is
expected from Lolo Jones and Kellie Wells, 200 m world champion Allyson
Felix runs the 400 m
(Briton Nicola Sanders is here an interesting entry). In the women 200 m European bronze winner
and relay olympic gold medalist Aleksandra Fedoriva of Russia will
have strong American opponents headed by world finalist Lashauntea Moore and
former relay world junior champion Alexandria Anderson. In the 400 m hurdles the duel of
Diamond Race winner Bershawn Jackson with world leader LJ Van Zyl is the
highlight.

TOP DISTANCES AT HAYWARD FIELD

EUGENE (USA): IAAF informs about strong field for women’s 800 and 1500 m at the 37th
Prefontaine Classic on 4 June, the fourth stop on the 14-meeting Samsung
Diamond League series. It was already reported that world champion Caster
Semenya will be in the race. She will face 2007 World Champion Janeth
Jepkosgei, last year US champion Alysia Johnson, the reigning Olympic champion
Pamel Jelimo of Kenya,
Jamaican record holder Kenia Sinclair and Barcelona
fifth placer Briton Jemma Simpson. Organizers are saying that the women 1500 m is the best Pre field
ever at the distance. Kenyan Nancy Langat 2008 Olympic gold medallist and
Samsung Diamond Trophy winner in the event is running against last year world
leader Anna Alminova, former World indoor champion Gelete Burka, European
Champion Nuria Fernandez and top home runners Shannon Rowbury and Christin
Wurth-Thomas.

SANYA AND KRISSY IN OSTRAVA

OSTRAVA (CZE): One of the most popular current Czech athletes, the
European indoor 400 m
champion Denisa Rosolova will have a great race at the 50th jubilee Ostrava
Golden Spike Meeting on May 31 (IAAF World Challenge). For first time coming
will be reigning 400 m
world champion Sanya Richards-Ross of USA. “I am very excited to finally
compete in Ostrava.
After many years of admiring Jan Zelezny I’ve always wanted to travel to the Czech Republic.
I look forward to competing there against Denisa Rosolova, who seems to be in
great shape. I believe it will be a great race,” she said for the organizers.
The multiple relay gold medalist and IAAF World Athlete of the Year 2006 and
2009 will come after her races in Rome.
For third time competing in Ostrava will be also
reigning Olympic winner Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain, she won in 2008 and
was fourth last year. To attack one of the oldest meeting records 49.67 of
Tatjana Kocembova from 1983 will be not an easy task. Also confirmed is current
100 m
world leader Steve Mullings of Jamaica,
Poland´s European indoor champion Adam Kszczot will compete in the 1000 m with the aim to
attack the national record of 2:17.22. Also on Tuesday an official exhibition
was opened on behalf of the 50th jubilee edition of the meeting. Photos,
newspaper clippings and other materials like hurdles, javelins, starting blocks
remembering the 50 years of the meeting will be shown in Ostrava City Musem
until middle of June. Some parts of the exhibition will be shown during the meeting
days also in official athletes hotel.

IDOWU FOR UK DL MEETS

BIRMINGHAM (GBR): World and European triple jump gold
medallist Phillips Idowu has confirmed he will compete at both the Aviva
Birmingham Grand Prix and Aviva London Grand Prix this summer, as he prepares
to defend his World Championship title in Daegu in September. Organizers are
informing in a release. Birmingham-based Idowu will first compete at the city’s
Alexander Stadium on 10 July, before heading back to hometown London on 5-6 August for the trip to the
Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. For the first time ever, both meets are
part of the prestigious Samsung Diamond League and Idowu joins an already
star-studded line up consisting of the likes of Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell and
Carmelita Jeter, who have already committed to both dates.

OTHER NEWS

DOHA (QAT): Frankie Fredericks, chairman of the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission, has revealed he wants the Olympic ban on
drugs cheats to remain in place despite a challenge from the United States
who want it to be scrapped in time for London 2012. Writes Insidethegames.com.
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and IOC have agreed to let the Court
of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decide whether the controversial eligibility
rule that is set to keep defending Olympic 400 meters champion
LaShawn Merritt out of next year’s Games in London should be upheld. “I like
the British Olympic Association (BOA) rule which states that if you test
positive drugs you are banned from the Olympics for life,” the Namibian told
insidethegames.

MANAMA (BRN): On May 2 ended the 2 years suspension
of 2005 double world champion Rashid Ramzi, the Moroccan born athlete who is
representing Morocco.
Gulf Daily News is informing that he has begun training and plans to compete at
international events again. “Rashid is back in Morocco and has already begun his
training camp at a high-altitude location,” the Bahraini Federation official,
who wished not to be named, told the GDN. Ramzi will be targeting the
qualification for Daegu. Due to current regulations he will not be allowed to
compete at London Games 2012 as his ban began on August 12, 2008. He was banned
because CERA was found in his sample and was forced to return his olympic gold
from Beijing at
1500 m.

BERLIN (GER): In an interview with leichtathletik.com
Tim Lobinger revealed he is still dreaming of jumping 6m at the 2012 London
Olympic Games. Lobinger, who has recently been distracted by appearances at the
German version of ‘let’s dance’, wants to continue his career on the highest
level for the next 2 year. The German athlete has already started working on a
career after pole vaulting as he is taking classes to become a trainer.

BERLIN (GER): 2009 World championships high jump
finalist Meike Kröger is looking forward to competing again at the IAAF World
Championships in Daegu. The German athlete has finished her degree in
architecture and is back in full training after a knee injury had slowed her
down. Kröger has been training along with Swedish athlete Anna Alexson and her
coach Johnny Holm.

LONDON (GBR): Osama Bin Laden’s killing by United States
troops does not add to security fears at the London 2012 Olympic Games claimed
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge. Bin Laden’s
death has led to fears that there will be a backlash of terrorist attacks
targeted a major events such as the Olympics prompting fears that there could
be a repeat of the massacre at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, when 11 Israeli
athletes and officials and a German policeman were killed by the Islamic
terrorist group Black September reports Insidethegames.

NAGOYA (JPN): Next year’s Nagoya marathon will be scheduled on March
11th 2012 informs Ken Nakamura. The all women’s marathon allows 15.000 runners
and will be part of the ‘Marathon festival
Nagoya Aichi’ that also features a half marathon and 10K for both men and
women.

BRUSSELS (BEL): Belgian former European indoor 60m
hurdles champion Eline Berings needs surgery on her right knee and puts an
immediate end to the outdoor season. Berings already had to forsake the indoor
season and missed out on defending her indoor title in Paris because of the knee injury. After the
surgery she will need at least 10 weeks of rehabilitation before returning to
training report Belgian media.

KINGSTON (JAM): World and Olympic 100m Shelly-Ann
Fraser-Pryce is determined to leave her 6 month drug suspension behind her and
does not feel any pressure to return to competition. Fraser-Pryce told AP she
has left the negative comments surrounding her suspension in the past and now
is highly motivated to win medals at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu. For
the BBC Fraser-Pryce also spoke up for more and better education on drugs for
athletes. The Jamaican sprinter pointed out that the rapid changes and
difficult names on the WADA anti-doping list are confusing for athletes.

MELBOURNE (AUS): Triple Australian Champion Sally Pearson has been named
a finalist for the 2011 Cosmopolitan Fun, Fearless Female awards. Pearson is
still in the running for the award together with tennis player Sam Stosur and
world surfing champion Steph Gilmore. Fans can vote for their favourite athlete
online.

HARPERSFIELD TOWNSHIP
(USA): Michael Johnson is
opening his Michael Johnson Performance
Training Center
in Ohio. The
center, which will provide a training system for youth and professional
athletes, is designed and overseen by the four-time Olympic gold medalist.

COPENHAGEN (DEN): Former World Record Holder over the Marathon and first female athlete below the 2:21 barrier
Tegla Louroupe is set for the Nykredit Copenhagen Marathon on May 22nd. The
previous World Record holder over 20 – 25 – 30k and the marathon wants to win
the race but also wants to use the race to make people aware of her foundation
(the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation) reports time-to-run.com.

PARIS (FRA): European 3000m steeple record holder Bouabdellah Tahri is
very satisfied with his first appearance in the 10.000 m. Tahri managed a
solid 27:31.46 which ranks him 3rd on the French all time lists and only a few
seconds behind French record holder Tony Martins. The French athlete will
return to the steeplechase for the rest of the season and aims at winning a
medal at the IAAF World championships in Daegu.

RESULTS

FUKUROI (JPN, May 3): Hungarian European medalist Krisztian Pars won the
hammer at the Shizuoka
international meet here with 77.95. Asian Games winner Dilshod Nazarov of Tajikistan was
second 72.90. Throwers are in Japan
for the opening competition of the IAAF World Hammer Challenge on May 8 in Kawasaki. High quality 5000 m by 2008 World junior
champion Ibrahim Jeylan of Ethiopia,
his 13:09.95 is second fastest of the year. Also to note solid depth in 400 m hurdles. Mahau
Suguimati of Brazil
clocked 49.17 ahead of Takayuki Kishimoto 49.27 (PB), Yuta Imazaki 49.71 and
Australian Champion Brendan Cole 49.81. Double world medalist and national
record holder Dai Tamesue won the other race in 49.89 in his return to
competition since 2008. Yuzo Kanemaru won the 400 m (45.74), Hitoshi Sato
the 200 m
(20.60, +0.5) and Masato Yokota the 800 m (1:46.85). Two women results to note,
national record holder Chisato Fukushima achieved 23.13 (-0.7) in the 200 m and Australian Lauren
Boden 56.72 at 400 m
hurdles.

LIDZBARK WARMINSKI (POL, May 3): Steeple specialist and Barcelona 4th placer
Tomasz Szymkowiak won the 10
000 m track national title with 29:38.42. Women winner
Iwona Lewandowska achieved personal best 33:34.49.

BIALYSTOK (POL, May 3): Barcelona participant Przemyslaw Czajkowski
achieved at a local meet his second best career mark 64.18 in discus.

PATIALA (IND,
May 3): The first leg of the Indian Grand Prix which was held at Netaji Subhas
National Institute of Sports marked the season opener for 2011 in Indian athletics.
The men’s 20 Km
walk, a non-GP event, held earlier on the day grabbed everyone’s attention as
the 26 year old Gurmeet Singh, representing Jharkhand, has posted his official
national mark in this event with a splendid time of 1:20:35. Gurmeet’s time
eclipsed the national record of 1:23:06 held by Babubhai Panocha since 2009.

TEL AVIV (ISR, Apr 30): Jillian Schwartz cleared 450 cm in pole vault what is
top European mark of the outdoor season.

LAFAYETTE (USA,
Apr 27): New US High School record in girls pole vault by Morgann LeLeux (18)
who cleared in Louisiana
434 cm.

WAILUKU (USA, Apr
28-29): In series of Maui Discus meets the best results were achieved in Hawaii by Lance Brooks 64.38 in the second meet,
first was won by Jarred Rome 63.56. Aretha Thurmond won the first women
competition with US
seasonal leader 63.55 and in the second olympic winner Stephanie Brown-Trafton
improved that mark to 64.13. Informs Track Newsletter.

RABAT (MAR, Apr 16): Late addition from Morocco as the national record holder
Yahya Berrabah leaped to good quality 825 (+1.5) long jump in a local meet.
Only Australian Mitchell Watt with 844 is having a better mark this year.

STATS

PALO ALTO (USA): Shalane Flanagan and Kayoko Fukushi joined the
exclusive club of runners breaking 31 minutes at least three times in the 10 000 m. They are number
15 and 16 in
that club. The biggest number 8 is owned by Paula Radcliffe. Informs Ken
Nakamura.

SAD NEWS

TORONTO (CAN): Danny Kassap, a former world-class
runner who fled to Canada
during the 2001 Francophone Games from Congo, has died. He was 28. Kassap
passed away at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital
overnight, according to Alan Brookes, director of the Canada Running Series.
There was no immediate word on the cause of death. Kassap was slated to run the
Sporting Life Toronto 10K on Sunday morning but elected not to because he was
not feeling good. Kassap won the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2004 in 2:14:50 in his
debut at the distance. At the time, he was working in a fish and chip shop to
pay the bills. He collapsed during a 2008 marathon in Berlin. He was placed in a medically induced
coma for several days and, upon returning to Canada, was diagnosed as having
suffered a “ventricular fibrillation” brought on by an inflammation of the
heart which was caused by a cold virus. He took eight months off to recover,
winning a five-kilometer race before running in a half-marathon almost one year
to the day he collapsed. The tsn.ca website informs.