Great Weekend of Athletics! More on 2012 Houston, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder

MASAI BEATS CHERUIYOT
SEVILLA
(ESP, Jan 15): 2009 World champion Linet Masai won the 30th Italica
Cross Country race in Seville (IAAF Permit) in mud and rain with 25:42
at 8 km. Her main rival and multiple world champion Vivian Cheruiyot was
second in 26:00 just barely ahead of best Ethiopian of the day Wude
Ayalew (also 26:00). Fourth Hiwot Ayalew 26:23 ahead of Pauline
Korikwiang 26:32 and Mercy Cherono 26:40. Best European followed,
Italian Nadia Ejaffini as 7th 26:47 beating European Champion Fionualla
Britton 26:54. Ninth Priscah Jepleting 26:55 and 10th best Spanish Diana
Martin (27:32). World junior champion from Punta Umbria Geoffrey
Kipsang won the in his first senior year the main 10.8 km race in 30:53
ahead of Albert Rop who is only 17 years old 30:57 and Ugandan Moses
Kipsiro 31:03. Geoffrey Kirui in 31:13 followed ahead of Mark Kiptoo
31:14 and best European Spanish Ayad Lamdassem 31:23 as 6th. Seventh
Ethiopian Abera Kuma (31:27) and only then last year senior World CC
medalist Vincent Chepkok in 31:28. World road record holder Leonard
Komon was only 11th (32:00).

ACHAMO 2:26:12 COURSE RECORD
MUMBAI
(IND, Jan 15): African domination continued at the 9th Standard
Chartered Mumbai Marathon. After close finish Kenyan Laban Moiben and
Ethiopian Raji Assefa clocked the same 2:10:48 and the Kenyan was the
winner. For Assefa this was new personal best. Third another Kenyan John
Kyui in 2:10:54. Ethiopian Nestanet Achamo Abeyo was an impressive
women winner in new course record in good weather conditions 2:26:12.
Previous fastest career race was 2:28:28 as fourth in Rome 2011. Her
team-mates followed her: Fatuma Sado 2:30:20 and Makda Harun 2:30:47.
Both winners will get 36 000 USD prize money. Ram Singh Yadav as best
home runner was 12th and improved to olympic qualifier 2:16:59. He was
also best non-African in the race. 2007 World champion Luke Kibet
finished behin him as 16th in 2:18:36. In women race best non-Ethiopian
as 13th Kenyan Lydia Rutto with life-time best 2:37:38. As Murali
Krishnan points out, every year Mumbai witnessed a host of newcomers
making to this marathon with different objectives to achieve.   Sigrid
Eichner, the 71-year-old grand lady of Germany, was one among them.
 This Sunday morning saw Eichner completed her 1,667th marathon.

MUNA LEE RETURNS
COLLEGE STATION
(USA, Jan 14): One of top female US sprinters Muna Lee who fighted with
injuries in 2010 and 2011 returned with good 7.32 as second in the 60
m. She was beaten by Jessica Young (7.31) but was better than Porscha
Lucas (7.41). Jamaican 400 m runner Patricia Hall posted solid 23.42 in
the 200 m. At Texas 10 Invitiational Charles Silmon produced 6.66 at 60 m
and Chinese Xie Zhen-Ye 21.25 in the 200 m. British sprinter Tyrone
Edgar won another 60 m section in 6.76.

FAULK 7.62
LINCOLN (USA, Jan
14): Dexter Faulk improves with every race. This time 7.62 at the
Holiday Inn Invitational over 60 m hurdles. Belarus former world junior
medalist Aleksandr Linnik clocked 21.23 in the 200 m.

MILUS FIRST SUB 6.60
FLAGSTAFF
(USA, Jan 14): Arizona State University sprinter Ryan Milus (100 m best
10.23 from last year) became the first of the year with sub 6.60 in the
60 m. At the Lumberjack Invitational he won with new personal best of
6.59. Canadian Oluseyi Smith won the other race in 6.66. Another
Canadian Justin Rodhe showed top shape with 20.70 in the shot put.

GATLIN FIRST INDOOR RACE SINCE 2003
GAINESVILLE
(USA, Jan 14): Former US olympic and world winner Justin Gatlin made
his first indoor race since winning the World Indoor title in Birmingham
in 2003 (6.46 at the 60 m). He clocked new personal best at the 55 m
6.15 during the Jimmy Carnes College Invitational (6.32 in heats).
Jamaican Kawayne Fisher was second (6.25). In the hurdles duel Joel
Brown got 7.13 and David Oliver 7.14. But Oliver got the same 7.13 in
the heats. Another impressive season opener for US Champion Kellie Wells
with 7.47 at 55 m hurdles. Ivana Hepburn-Bailey improved to 7.67 as
second. Jamaican relay world champion Aleen Bailey also clocked personal
best at the 55 m 6.79. Hurdler Tiffany Williams returned from injury
with 53.54 in the 400 m.

LOLO 8.08, REESE 662 IN OPENERS
BIRMINGHAM
(USA, Jan 14):  At Crimson Tide Opener reigning World indoor champion
Lolo Jones opened with 8.08 at 60 m hurdles. Another global title holder
Brittney Reese started the season with 662 in the long jump. Bosnian
Kemal Mesic achieved 19.95 in the shot put. Good 60 m by Trinidad´s
Semoy Hackett 7.36. In the men´s 60 m Keena Brock won with 6.66, former
NCAA standout Rakieem Salaam got 6.73 in the heats.

OTHER RESULTS

LEXINGTON
(USA, Jan 14): Solid races at oversized track here. Erica Moore clocked
52.75 in the 400 m. Jamaican Tarika Williams got 7.30 in the 60 m.

NEW YORK (USA, Jan 14): Reggie Dixon contines with winning at
the Armory. On Saturday he scored a double with 6.74 and 21.21 in the
60/200 m combination.

MANHATTAN (USA, Jan 14): Lithuanian combined eventer Mantas Silkauskas clocked fast 6.75 at the 60 m.

NAMPA (USA, Jan 14): US junior 100 m record holder English
Gardner won the Blue and Orange Opener here with good 7.34 at the 60 m.
Her best from last year is 7.29.

PULLMAN (USA, Jan 14): Canadian olympic finalist Angela Whyte posted 8.16 at the 60 m hurdles here.

COLUMBUS (USA, Jan 14): Nice triple for Christina Manning at
the dual meet. Last year NCAA silver medalist at 100 m hurdles achieved
8.12 in the hurdles, 7.36 in the flat 60 m and 24.24 at the 200 m.

ANCONA (ITA, Jan 14): Moroccan Abdellah Haidane achieved here new personal best at the 3000 m 7:54.73.

FAYETTEVILLE
(USA, Jan 14): Another fast sprint time for Aldrich Bailey at the
Arkansas High School Invitational with 20.99 in the 200 m.

UNIVERSITY PARK (USA, Jan 14): Ryan Whiting opened the year
with good 21.29 at the Nittany Lion Challenge. Robby Creese won the 1000
m with 2:19.53. Hurdler Fawn Dorr clocked 1:29.80 in the women 600 m.

SEATTLE (USA, Jan 14): Norris Frederick leaped to exactly 8
meters at UW Indoor Preview meet. Josh Norman won the 60 m in 6.66. Lisa
Uhl won the 3000 m in 9:10.36.

LEON (ESP, Jan 14): Spanish top sprinter Miguel Angel Rodriguez clocked here twice 6.76 in the 60 m.

OTHER NEWS

LONDON
(GBR): The British Olympic Association (BOA) submitted their documents
to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in their bid to uphold their
controversial anti-doping bylaw which prevents drug cheats, like Dwain
Chambers (pictured) and David Millar, from competing for Team GB in the
Games, including London 2012.  The BOA filed a formal appeal last month
with the CAS to challenge the decision in November by the World
Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that declared its anti-doping bylaw
non-compliant. The official hearing in Lausanne will take place on March
12 and is expected to take a day with the judgement to be delivered
several weeks later. The BOA are now the only National Olympic Committee
(NOC) to have a lifetime ban in place but if it is overturned, it would
allow Chambers and Millar to compete at London 2012. Informs insidethegames.biz.

HOUSTON (USA): Stats from Ken Nakamura related to US Olympic
Marathon trials.  Meb Keflezighi failed to break the Olympic trials
record by 6 seconds, but Hall and Abdirahman ran fastest 2nd and 3rd
place time in the Olympic Trials.  Dathan Ritzenhein became the fastest
runner who failed to make the Olympic team. Previously Dave Gordon in
1984 was the fastest 4th placer in the Olympic Trials.  Keflezighi
became the only runner to make the Olympic Marathon team 8 years apart.
Meb along with the Hall became the 7th and 8th runner to make the
Olympic marathon team twice.  In women race first four runners broke
Olympic marathon trials record, so Amy Hastings became the fastest
runner who failed to make the Olympic team. Previously, Blake Russel in
2004 was the fastest 4th placer in the Olympic Trials.  The difference
between first and third (28 seconds) is the second lowest in the history
of the event.