2012 National Indoor Championships: Global Look, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder

NATIONAL INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

FRANCE (Aubiere): European champion Christophe Lemaitre
clocked 6.59 to win the 60 m but it was close over Emmanuel Biron 6.60.
Pascal Martinot-Lagarde improved to 7.54 when winning the 60 m hurdles
over Cedric Lavanne 7.65 and former world champion Ladji Doucoure 7.71.
Another European winner Renaud Lavillenie dominated the pole vault with
572 clearance. Benjamin Compaore impressed with 17.13 in the triple jump
and Bryan Cantero won the 1500 m in 3:44.46. European 200 m winner
Myriam Soumare won the 60 m in 7.29 (faster 7.27 in heats). Reina-Flor
Okori was the best hurdler in 8.07 beating Sandra Gomis 8.10. Melanie
Melfort cleared Istanbul standard 193 to win the high jump and Sylwia
Korzeniowska got another walking title at the 3000 m distance 12:48.91.

GERMANY (Karlsruhe): World champion David Storl is in right
time in top shape, achieved 21.40 European leader 2012 in the shot put.
Impressive also the life-time best 7.15 by Verena Sailer in women 60 m.
Men´s 60 m winner was Christian Blum 6.62 (and 6.60 in semifinals). 2009
European indoor champion Sebastian Bayer leaped to 812 in the long
jump. Gregor Traber confirmed his talent with hurdles win timed with
7.59 ahead of Alexander John 7.69. Arne Gabius confirmed his position
with 7:51.72 3000 m win. Cindy Roleder improved to 7.96 in the 60 m
hurdles over European indoor champion 2011 Carolin Nytra 7.98 (muscle
injury). National record holder Silke Spiegelburg won the pole vault
with 457 clearance. Kristin Gierisch improved to 14.19 in the triple
jump. Shot put title for Nadine Kleinert 19.13 over Christina Schwanitz
18.68.

SPAIN (Sabadell): Angel David Rodriguez with 6.66 in the 60 m
and Eusebio Caceres with 794 in the long jump confirmed their favorite
roles. Victor Garcia won the 3000 m in 7:59.16 and Didac Salas again
improved his national junior record in pole vault (545). In women 3000 m
Paula Gonzalez 9:15.22. Ruth Beitia cleared 188 to win the high jump
and Cuban guest Mabel Gay was the best in the triple jump (14.14).

ITALY (Ancona): As usual strong walks in Italy. Giorgio Rubino
19:22.80 in the 5000 m and Eleonora Anna Giorgi 12:53.14 in the 3000 m.
1500 m winners Merihun Crespi 3:44.79 and Elisa Cusma 4:17.79. In the
hurdles Veronica Borsi 8.18 (Marzia Caravelli 8.16 in semifinals) and
Paolo Dal Molin 7.75 with the titles. Three jumping wins for Claudio
Stecchi 560 in the pole vault, Fabrizio Donato 795 in the long jump and
Raffaella Lamera 189 in the high jump.

POLAND (Spala): Olympic winner Tomasz Majewski achieved 21.05
in the shot put and Lukasz Michalski cleared 560 in the pole vault
(Pawel Wojciechowski did not compete). Karolina Tyminska won the long
jump (644, and false started in the hurdles). Sprint winners Dariusz Kuc
6.70 and Daria Korczynska 7.33. Wioletta Frankiewicz won the 3000 m in
9:18.56. Also to note that Jakub Krzewina clocked the fastest 400 m heat
time 46.85.

CZECH REPUBLIC (Praha): Katerina Cechova showed top shape with
7.30 personal best and meet record at 60 m. In men´s race Libor Zilka
achieved 6.73 over fresh 400 m record holder Pavel Maslak 6.77. Jirina
Ptacnikova in an solo effort after 452 clearance tried at 462 in the
pole vault. Martin Mazac was the best in the 60 m hurdles in 7.81 over
junior Vaclav Sedlak 7.89.

NETHERLANDS (Apeldoorn): Rutger Smith achieved shot put
olympic standard 20.56. Douwe Amels won the high jump (221). Fastest in
60 m prelims Dafne Schippers 7.26 in semis and Brian Mariano 6.71 in
heats.

ROMANIA (Bucuresti): During second day of the national event
Esthera Petre confirmed solid shape with 194 high jump win. In the long
jump Cornelia Deiac leaped to 665 cm. In men long jump Valentin Toboc
beat with 791 Moldovan guest Alexandru Cuharenco by 1 cm (790). European
400 m hurdles finalist Angela Morosanu improved to 8.11 in the 60 m
hurdles.

SLOVAKIA (Bratislava): Vladimir Simik and his improvement to
6.73 in the 60 m was the highlight here. Veldakova twins got gold
medals. Dana in the triple jump (14.00) and Jana in the 60 m (7.56).
Matus Janecek won the 60 m hurdles in 7.84 but in an open race lost with
7.83 to improved Viliam Papso 7.80.

AUSTRIA (Linz): The one day event had as best result the 8.07
win at 60 m hurdles by Beate Schrott. Monika Gollner improved her season
best in the high jump to 189 cm. Andreas Vojta won two events (3:48.71,
1500 m and 8:23.20, 3000 m). The 800 m record holder Andreas Rapatz was
the best in the the 400 m (47.98).

SLOVENIA (Celje): Slovenian Championships staged on one day
(only shot put on Sunday) registered season best 226 for high jumper
Rozle Prezelj and another fast time by Marina Tomic in the 60 m hurdles
(8.16). Triple jump battle was won by Snezana Rodic 14.05 over Marija
Sestak 13.85.

CROATIA (Rijeka): Croatian Championships also held in one day
had Ivan Horvat clearing 535 in the pole vault, new national senior and
junior record. Marin Premeru achieved 19.83 in the shot put and Goran
Pekic 6.84 in the 60 m. Discus European champion Sandra Perkovic won the
shot put 15.82.

DENMARK (Skive): Morten Jensen leaped to 780 in the long jump
and Andreas Martinsen clocked new facility record in the 60 m hurdles
(7.90).

OTHER RESULTS

TALLINN (EST, Feb 25): Last and 3rd meet of Estonian
indoor circuit Big Bank Kuldliiga saw fast sprints by Lithuanian Rytis
Sakalauskas 6.69 and Belarus Maksim Lynsha 7.66 in the 60 m hurdles.
More Belarus wins for Yulia Balykina in the 60 m in 7.32 and Alina Talai
at 60 m hurdles 8.05. Bulgarian Venelina Veneva cleared 191 to win the
high jump over Russians Yevgeniya Kononova and junior Mariya Kuchina,
both 191 also. Anastasiya Shvedova cleared 452 in the pole vault.
Combined eventer Laura Ikauniece of Latvia leaped to 617 in the long
jump over returning Russian star Tatyana Lebedeva 610.

SHERBROOKE (CAN, Feb 25): In her first race since August 27,
2010 (winning Van Damme Memorial) Canadian olympic medalist Priscilla
Lopes-Schliep clocked here 8.28 in heats and 8.33 as second in the
finals. She missed 2011 due to pregnancy and six months after giving
birth she returned to racing. The winner Nikkita Holder got 8.11.

US RESULTS (Feb 24)

COLLEGE
STATTION: At Big 12 Ashley Collier clocked 7.34 in 60 m heats and fast
23.14 in heats of 200 m by Dominique Duncan. Ameer Webb clocked 20.90 in
the men´s 200 m heats.

LINCOLN: Christina Manning was impressive with 7.97 at Big Ten
in the 60 m hurdles heats. Jamaican Andrew Riley posted 6.63 in the 60 m
heats, Kind Butler clocked 20.98 in 200 m heats and Erik Sowinski
1:47.62 in the 800 m heats.

BOSTON: Kemar Hyman of Cayman Islands achieved fast 6.60 in
heats of 60 m at ACC Championships. Curtis Beach scored 5862 points in
the heptathlon.

NAMPA: Good shape of Chelsea Hayes at WAC event. She won the long jump (645) and got 7.24 in the 60 m heats.

ALBUQUERQUE: Whitney Gipson leaped to 667 long jump win at
Mountain West Conference. Briton Lorraine Ugen improved her indoor best
to 651 as second.

SEATTLE: Ryan Milus posted 6.61 in 60 m heats at MPSF Championships.

OUTDOOR RESULTS

HOBART
(AUS, Feb 25): It was a double Tallent win at the Race Walking
Championships in Hobart (part of IAAF Challenge), with Jared winning the
men’s 20 km open in 1:23:01 and Claire winning the women’s 20km in
1:32:58, an Olympic qualifying time.

PERTH (AUS, Feb 24): Competing at the Strive Inter-Club
Athletics Meet at the WA Athletics Stadium, Alana Boyd initially set a
new personal best at 471 in the pole vault, having beaten her previous
bestmark of 466, also set in Perth, two weeks ago. The Commonwealth gold
medalist then moved the bar to 476 and surpassed Kim Howe’s previous
Australian record of 472, which had stood for five years.

DOMZALE (SLO, Feb 25): Slovenian javelin record holder Martina
Ratej showed top early shape with 65.24 during national winter throwing
event.

LUCCA (ITA, Feb 25): Hammer throw winners at
Winter Throwing Italian Championships were Lorenzo Povegliano 75.50 and
Silvia Salis 70.20.