ADAMS
WANTS TO DEFEND IN ISTANBUL

AUCKLAND
(NZL): New Zealand media are informing that shot put World Champion Valerie
Adams wants to retain her world indoor title from 2010. But Adams’ progress
this year raises a bigger question than the world indoor title. „I really
don’t know. I’m 27, I’ve been in the sport 12 years and I’m still throwing
personal bests. That’s got to count for something. It’s a matter of
waiting and seeing. But if I can consistently get into those late 20s,
early 21m region then the jump to the next level is there. But I don’t
really give a damn about the world record,” Adams said. „My aim in 2012 is
to throw further than 21.24m and my goal is to win the Olympics,” she adds.
But, for the time being, Rio 2016 is not on the agenda. „I would love to go to
Rio, but that’s all down to whether the body and mind can continue,” she said.

REDUCED
STANDARDS FOR LONDON

MONACO
(MON): IAAF reduced the qualification standards for London Olympic Games in six
events. In men events only 400 m : A standard to 45.30 (previously 45.25)
and B standard to 45.90 (45.70). In women events in the 400 m the A-standard
from 51.50 to 51.55 and B from 52.30 to 52.35. In the 5000 m A standard is
now 15:20.00 (15:15.00) and B 15:30.00 (15:25.00). Another reduction in the 400
m hurdles, A from 55.40 to 55.50 and B from 56.55 to 56.65. Shot put
standards were change from 18.35 to 18.30 (A) and 17.30 to 17.20 (B). In
javelin only A standard was lowered from 61.50 to 61.00.

RUSSIAN
TEAM

MOSCOW
(RUS): Russia is sending to Velenje for Sunday´s European CC Championships both
junior teams (boys and girls including top name Gulshat Fazlitdinova) and also
U23 men´s team. The only senior will be Yegor Nikolayev who was bronze winner
in last edition in the U23 category. No entries in women´s senior and U23
races.

THREE
MARATHON RUNNERS SELECTED

LONDON
(GBR): Athletics Weekly informs that the British Olympic Association announced
the selection of Paula Radcliffe, Mara Yamauchi and Scott Overall to compete
for Team GB in the marathon at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The trio are the
first names to be announced on the athletics team, having all achieved the
Olympic ‘A’ qualifying standard this year. A second round of Team GB
marathon selections for the Olympic Games will take place following the London
Marathon in April 2012.

AOY
IN GREECE

ATHENS
(GRE): Greece Athletes of the Year are high jumper Dimitrios Hondroukokis (5th
in Daegu) and pole vaulter Nikolia Kiriakopoulou (8th in Daegu and multiple
national record breaker). They were awarded during an event organised by
Friends of Athletics group and held in Cultural Center Galaxy in the
municipality of New Smyrna.

AOY
IN BULGARIA

SOFIA
(BUL): Bulgarian Athlete of the year 2011 is versatile long sprinter and Daegu
6th placer at 400 m hurdles Vanya Stambolova. She got 335 points in the vote of
magazine Atletika. Only five points behind was world championships finalist in
the 100 m Ivet Lalova (330). Third place for high jumper Viktor Ninov (223).
Stambolova won the award for third time in her career and for second time in a row.

VAN
ZYL WILL MISS HOME SEASON

CAPE
TOWN (RSA): South Africa’s 400m hurdles record holder and last season number
one LJ van Zyl won’t participate in next year’s Yellow Pages Series as well as
the SA Athletics Championships in order to focus on the Olympic Games in
London.”The Olympic Games in London are just too important. We can’t afford to
take unnecessary risks,” Hennie Kotzé, Van Zyl’s coach told the Beeld
newspaper. He clocked twice world leading 400m hurdles mark 47.66 in 2011, at
high altitude in Pretoria and at sea level in Ostrava. Van Zyl plans to open
the season at Samsung Diamond League 2012 opener on Doha, Qatar early May at
flat 400 m and one week later in Shanghai he plans to run his first 400 m
hurdles of the 2012.

STORL
FOR KARLSRUHE

KARLSRUHE
(GER): Shot put world champion David Storl is the first top name for IHM
Karlsruhe IAAF Indoor meet on February 12. The 28th edition of the meet will
have men´s shot put after some years and meet coordinator Alain Blondel wants
to offer for Storl high quality opposition. Despite early difficulties the
organisers confirmed now that the budget will remain on the nearly same level
as in 2011. Organizers are informing in a release.

OTHER NEWS

ADDIS
ABABA (ETH): It was not only the 36,000 participants who featured in a record-breaking
spate of activity at the 2011 Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Great Ethiopian Run
10km last month. While the 36,000 participants represented a new record
for a road race in Africa, the race also set new fundraising records as
well as attracting the highest-ever number of participants from abroad (more
than 350) in its ten-year history. More international charities than ever
before came to Ethiopia to take part in the race. They were led by a group
of 70 participants from Orbis Ireland who raised more than 200,000 euro through
their participation in the run. Other charities taking part included Action Aid
led by their ambassador former Olympic champion Sally Gunnell and Concern
Worldwide led by former world cross-country champion John Treacy. A group
of participants came from the Knarvikmila race in Norway, having raised more
than $28,000 for the official fundraising campaign. The official fundraising
campaign of the 10km known as “I’m running for a child” raised more than 1
million birr ($58,000) reaching its target well before race weekend. Informs
the event website.

PARIS
(FRA) : World youth triple jump champion Sokhna Gallé talked to Athle.com about
her return to training and the start of her doctor studies. Gallé is currently
residing in Paris where she is attending University, which has kept her from
training well. Gallé however is not thinking about ending her career and
remains confident about her performances in the upcoming season.

LONDON
(GBR): The British National Audit Office (NAO) have warned the London 2012
Olympics and Paralympics could exceed its 10.8 billion euro public sector
funding package after the Government doubled their estimated security costs.
The November 2011 Olympic Quarterly Economic Report showed that the security
budget for the Games had risen from 328 million euro to a huge 643 million
euro. This leaves little margin for any further unforeseen costs emerging in
the final eight months reports Insidethegames.

NEW
DELHI (IND): Indian media are reporting about Usain Bolt helping in preparation
of Indian Cricket team but when confirming with Bolt´s agent Ricky Simms the
whole story comes out as not true.

VALENCIA
(ESP): Race Results Weekly informs that the winner of Maratón Divina Pastora
Valencia one week ago Isaiah Kiplagat Kosgei, competed previously under the
name „Adam Ismail Khamis” (sometimes spelled „Aadham Ismaeel Khamis”) of
Bahrain. According to his agent, he finished his „cooperation” with Bahrain
last year, and his back to Kenyan citizenship. The passport issuance date is
23-Feb-2011.

OTTAWA
(CAN): Athletics Canada published its selection criteria for nomination to the
2012 Olympic Games team. The criteria reflect an athlete’s performance
readiness to finish in the top 12, or top 24 for selected Rising Stars. The
qualifying period culminates with the Canadian Championships and Selection
Trials in Calgary June 27 to 30. All athletes with aspirations to the Olympic
team, outside of the 50-kilometer race walk and marathon events, must compete
and finish in the top 3 at the Selection Trials in order to be eligible for
nomination. Athletics Canada’s objectives for the 2012 Olympic Games include
improving on the country ranking, number of overall medals, top 8 and top 12
finishes from recent Olympic Games and World Championships. “Our results at the
2008 Olympic Games (in Beijing) were a clear improvement over Sydney and
Athens, we’re looking at building on this success and we expect more in
London,” said Martin Goulet, Athletics Canada Chief High Performance Officer.
Federation release informs.

RESULTS

MAZATLAN
(MEX, Dec 4): Winner of 13th Gran Maratón Pacífico was Kenyan Simon Njoroge
with new course record 2:11:05. Mexican women win for Karina Perez in 2:36:12.

PORTLAND
(USA, Dec 3): Track Newsletter reports that on cool and foggy morning, Futsum
Zeinasellassie (North Central, Indianapolis) ran away with the boys crown and
Sarah Baxter (Simi Valley, California) won by 4 seconds on the girls side at the
8th Nike Cross Nationals. But this event is more about teams. Defending boys
champ Carroll (Southlake, Texas) came up just a few points short as
Christian Brothers Academy (Lincroft, New Jersey) took the title. The girls’
side remained a New York affair as the Empire Staters continued to be the
only ones ever to win.

CORRECTION

LAS
VEGAS (HUN): Correct winning time for Hungarian Zsófia Erdélyi was 2:48:59 in
her first marathon. In her first Half Marathon in October in Long Beach she won
too. Informs Gyorgy Csiki.