by Larry Eder
EME NEWS (JAN 7, 2012)
Kenenisa beaten
EDINBURGH (GBR, Jan 7): Double Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele will
probably have preferred to have stayed in Ethiopia where it was
Christmas Day rather than suffer the ignominy of a shock defeat at the
Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country. Informs David Martin. The world’s
greatest ever distance runner looked a shadow of his former self as he
finished well down the field in 11th position in the International three
kilometres race at the IAAF Permit event meeting in Holyrood Park.
There were no excuses from Bekele as he struggled in a race which
included two other 2008 Olympic gold medallists, Kenyan’s Asbel Kiprop
the 1500m champion and Brimin Kipruto winner of the 3000m steeplechase
in Beijing. Kiprop clocked 9:20 ahead of surprise from British ranks
Jonathan Hay 9:25 and Eliud Kipchoge 9:26. Spanish Juan Carlos Higuero
was close fourth (also 9:26). European champion at 1500 m Arturo Casado
was 8th (9:40), Bekele 11th (9:42) and steeple olympic winner Brimin
Kipruto 12th. Bekele, despite suffering his second defeat over the lush
Holyrood Palace course in the last two years, then seeing himself not
compete until last year’s World Championships where he dropped out in
the 10000 metres final, remains confident his performance did not send
out the wrong message. “The course was okay and my shape is not good,
that’s the reason,” said Bekele, “I’m 50/50 at the moment and I was not
confident before the race. It is too early in the year to be in great
shape. My goal is to build up for the Olympics and I want to do it
slowly. I’m not happy with the result but what can I do about it. I
wanted a good position but my body was not ready.” In an exciting Team
International Match the host nation triumphed (144) from the USA (196)
and the European team (215) although their only individual victory came
in the junior women’s race won by European junior gold medallist Emelia
Gorecka (4 km, 14:48). The senior men’s 8km event saw Ayad Lamdassem run
a perfect race to score a comfortable win (25:44) ahead of Bobby Mack
(25:47) and more importantly Atelaw Bekele (25:47) who beat him for the
European Cross Country title in Velenje last month. Ireland´s Fionnuala
Britton in her first race since clinching the European Cross Country
title, produced a display which was even more dominant when whipping the
opposition on that occasion. She achieved 21:32 at the 6 km ahead of
Gemma Steel 21:52. Ethiopian-born Kirubel Erassa ran a perfect race to
win the junior men’s 6km race for the USA (19:56).
Kamais with course record
XIAMEN (CHN, Jan 7): Kenyan Peter Kamais won the first big marathon of
2012. He clocked new course record at age of 35 with 2:07:37 at the 10th
Xiamen International Marathon (also a personal best for him). He will
get 40 000 USD for the win and another 15 000 USD for the new event
best. Second another Kenyan Dickson Chumba (2:08:21) and third Ethiopian
Solomon Tsege in 2:09:01 (also an PB). Last year winner Robert
Kipchumba (2:08:07 course record) was 6th in 2:09:45. Ethiopian women
win for Ashu Kasim in personal best 2:23:09. Here second Kenyan Miriam
Wangari in 2:31:30 ahead of another co-favorite Ethiopian Merima Hasen
(2:31:46). Over 70 000 runners competed in different races.
Shustov 230, Borzakovskiy and Savinova beaten
YEKATERINBURG (RUS, Jan 7): European High Jump champion from Barcelona
Aleksandr Shustov started well into the indoor season with first attempt
230 clearance at Yalamov Memorial meet. He also tried twice at 235 cm.
World medalist Yuriy Borzakovskiy was beaten in the 500 m despite his
usual strong finish. Pavel Trenikhin won the 500 m in 1:01.70 beating
Borzakovskiy and Sergey Petukhov as third (both credited with 1:01.81).
“I m satisfied with the result concerning the stage of my preparation.
My next competition will be at Russian Winter on February 5 at 600 m,”
said Borzakovskiy. European Athlete of the Year 2011 Mariya Savinova was
second in the 1000 m (2:43.40), winner was Yuliya Tutayeva in 2:43.25.
Savinova is not specially preparing for the indoor season. In the 300 m
Konstantin Petryashov was the fastest with 33.42. In the 3000 m Boris
Zakharov achieved 7:58.77 ahead of Ethiopian Million Yehualashet
8:00.73. In duel of top Russians at 60 m hurdles Konstantin Shabanov
beat in 7.76 Yevgeniy Borisov (7.79) and Igor Peremota (7.80). Barcelona
silver medalist in the 400 m Kseniya Ustalova improved her 300 m best
to fast 36.94. In other races Aleksandra Fedoriva achieved 37.43, Yulia
Gushchina 37.61 and Olesya Krasnomovets 38.14. Former world indoor
champion Natalya Nazarova won the 500 m in 1:10.92, she is the holder of
the all-time best at this distance indoors with 1:07:36 in 2004. Also
to note 5:49.30 of Yevgeniya Zolotova in the 2000 m, 8.16 by Tatyana
Dektyareva at 60 m hurdles and 60 m 7.33 by first Nadezhda Paleyeva and
second Natalya Murinovich.
OTHER NEWS
KINGSTON (JAM): Special guests at Racers Track Club Awards Banquet
on Friday were IAAF Vice President Lord Sebastian Coe and 1996 olympic
winner Donovan Bailey. Of course the top star of the club the fastest
man on earth Usain Bolt was also present. Sprinter Kenroy Anderson was
named the most
punctual athlete and Warren Weir as the most improved Athlete of
2011. “Their (Jamaican track stars) role is absolutely huge towards the
success of the Games,” said Coe. Turning his attention to the Jamaican
diaspora in London, Coe shared that the LOC has taken steps to ensure
that there has been full engagement to ensure that support is mobilised.
From Trackalerts and Jamaican Gleaner.
EUGENE (USA): 2011 World
Champion in high jump Jesse Williams will take on former Oregon
three-sport letterman Jordan Kent in a dunk contest at halftime of
the Oregon-California men’s basketball game on Sunday. Tipoff is at
4:30 p.m. at Matthew Knight Arena. Williams will start his indoor
season at US Open on January 28 and continue in Arnstadt on February 4
and Banska Bystrica on February 8.
HOUSTON (USA): Tilahun Regassa of Ethiopia, one of the
fastest half marathoners in the world, and Caroline Kilel of Kenya,
winner of the 2011 Boston Marathon, lead an international field for
the Aramco Houston Half Marathon on Sunday, January 15. The race,
which begins at 7:00 a.m., features a top prize of $10,000 to both
the men’s and women’s winner.
LONDON (GBR): London 2012 were forced to temporarily suspend their
official ticket resale website, following
unknown computer problems that are being investigated. The website, which is run by the London 2012 official ticketing
services provider and Tier three sponsor Ticketmaster, opened for
the first time in order to allow people with unwanted tickets to put
them up for sale to other members of the public at face value. Fans trying to buy tickets were able to click onto apparently
available events but, after several minutes, were then told these
were not available. Informs insidethegames.
BLACKSBURG (USA): 16.02 triple jumper David Wilson (20) and last summer
NCAA Championships 6th placer is foregoing his senior season in
Blacksburg for the NFL draft after leading the conference in rushing and
leading the Hokies to their fourth BCS bowl in five years. He read his
prepared statement off an iPad, and he won’t have any trouble footing
the bill for that, either. Local media are informing.
RESULTS
GENT (BEL, Jan 7): Jan Van Den Broeck improved at regional championships
at the 800 m to fast 1:47.19 indoor PB. He achieved with that the
Istanbul standard. Van Den Broeck was 7th at the European U23
Championships in Ostrava last summer.
FAYETTEVILLE (USA, Jan 6): Kenyan Silas Kisorio clocked 2:21.94 in the 1000 m at Arkansas Invitational.
NEW YORK (USA, Jan 6): Trinidad´s Lalonde Gordon was timed with 1:02.83
in the 500 m at the Metro Coaches Invitational. US record holder Alan
Webb was second in the 800 m (1:55.02).
COLUMBUS (USA, Jan 6): Christina Manning posted a solid double at the
Ohio State Invitational meet with 7.40 in the 60 m and 8.19 at 60 m
hurdles.
COLLEGE STATION (USA, Jan 6): At Texas High School Classic meet Aldrich
Bailey got 21.33 in the 200 m and Shawnacy Barber cleared good 535 in
the pole vault.
CHEMNITZ (GER, Jan 7): Christian Blum was already fast at local meet with twice 6.70 in the 60 m (heats and finals).
PANEVEZYS (LTU, Jan 7): National record holder at 100 m and 200 m Rytis
Sakalauskas achieved another Lithuanian top mark at the 300 m with
33.69.
APPELDOORN (NED, Jan 7): European junior champion Dafne Schippers
started the indoor on a high note with great improvement at the opening
meet with 8.18 at 60 m hurdles. Her previous best over senior hurdles
was 8.53. She was beaten by Sharona Bakker who also improved to 8.17.
That was in the heats. In the final Bakker got 8.19 and Schippers 8.23
(she also cleared 170 in the high jump). Ghana´s Ignisious Gaisah leaped
to 782 cm in the long jump.
PROVO (USA, Jan 5-6): Swedish throwers dominated at the BYU Cougar
Indoor Invitational as Leif Arrhenius got 19.55 in the shot put and
Niklas Arrhenius 63.01 in the discus (his first ever indoor discus).
BANSKA BYSTRICA (SVK, Jan 6): At the 7th walking indoor meet wins for
young Patrik Spevak in the 5000 m (20.43.9) and Hungarian Viktoria
Madarasz in the 3000 m (13:36.0).
KISII (KEN, Jan 7): The Nation informs that Timothy Kiptoo, Phenencer
Chemutai, Mercy Chebwogen and Justine Cheruiyot won the Athletics
Kenya/Kenya Commercial Bank cross country series jackpot after
Saturday’s final round at the Kisii Golf Club. On the day, Emily Muge
won the senior women’s 8 km in 27:28.1. Relatively unknown Agnes Chebet
clocked 20:30.6 to win the junior women’s 6 km. Japan-based Bidan Karoki
won the senior men’s 12km men in 36:20.2 and was then followed in the
second place by Timothy Kiptoo (36:52.4) while third place fell to
Fredrick Musyoki (36:54.5). Justine Cheruyot won the junior men’s 8 km
in 23:44.8.
MALDONADO (URU, Jan 6): Cuban Aguelmis Rojas who lives in Uruguay won
the 38th Corrida de San Fernando with 29:33 in the 10 km. Best woman was
Fatima Romero of Paraguay (37:15).
