by Larry Eder
Defar vs. Cheruiyot, 2012 Doha DL, photo by PhotoRun.net
Vivian Cheruiyot and Meseret Defar are doing some of the coolest races of the new year. In the 3,000m at Doha, and the 5,000m in Rome this evening, they battled to the final steps, with the Rome race the closest: 14:35.62 to 14:35.65.
Vivian Cheruiyot won both battles, with neither giving any quarter. Defar will continue the battle until she wins. The 5,000 meters in London, should be epic.
EME NEWS (MAY 31, 2012) UPDATE
BOLT FAST 9.76, KOECH CLOSE TO WR, VIVIAN BEATS DEFAR
ROME (ITA, May 31): Great evening of athletics at Olympic Stadium with electrical crowd close to 50 000. In summary 7 world leads (100 m, steeple, high jump for men and 1500, 5000, shot and javelin for women), 4 European leads (men 100, steeple and 4×400 m and women triple equaled) and 5 meet records (100 m, steeple, 4×400 m men and 1500 and shot women). Usain Bolt was the king of the evening, result of the evening for Paul Kipsiele Koech in steeple, clash of the evening Cheruiyot over Defar by 0.03 in the 5000 m and three unexpected winners Ahoure, Aregawi and Grabarz and one more but not so unexpected Magiso.
Event by event review
MEN
100 m: King is back in fast times region. Bolt clocks meet record and world lead 9.76 (-0.1). Powell beaten 9.91 and third Lemaitre after bad start EL 10.04. Bolt has now 28 legal sub 10 times in 5th year of his 100 m career.
800 m: The only non-DL individual event saw a win for Kenyan junior Kosencha 1:44.42 over Eurochamp Lewandowski 1:44.64.
Steeple: The male result of the evening. Third fastest ever by Paul Kipsiele Koech 7:54.31. Also meet record. Mutai 8:01.67 PB and J. Kipchoge 8:08.79 beating Kemboi 8:10.55. Fifth Mekhissi EL 8:10.96.
400H: Clear and nice run by Culson 48.14, remains undefeated. Batman finished well after slow begin 48.25 and running as third after last hurdle Sanchez injured himself.
HJ: Grabarz clears 233, WL and his outdoor best. The favorites behind him with 231. But he was not the only surprise at Olympic Stadium.
PV: Lavillenie won with two jumps 560 and 582. Not more needed.
LJ: Rutherford jumping like from a book. He was improving every round except 2. At the end win with 832 (0.0).
DT: Hadadi of Iran wins his first DL, last round effort 66.73. Old-timer Alekna second 66.31.
4×100 m: Canada 38.63 over Great Britain 38.82 (with Chambers), non-finishers Germany and Italy.
4×400 m: Great Britain first meet record in this event and EL 3:01.76 (Levine, C. Williams, Ch. Clarke, Green). Second Botswana beats all other European teams in 3:03.89, but Spain was close also 3:03.89.
WOMEN
100 m: Ivory Coast Murielle Ahoure sensationally wins in national record 11.00 (0.0) over top Jamaicans (Fraser-Pryce 11.06 and Stewart 11.10).
800 m: Another surprise young Ethiopian Fantu Magiso beats them all in 1:57.56 NR. Jelimo second 1:58.33 over world champ Savinova who opened in 1:58.56. Semenya way back 8th 2:00.07.
1500 m: Surprise number three Abeba Aregawi who never competed at an global event at age of 21 gets incredible world lead, NR and meet record 3:56.54. Fastest time since 2006. But not from nowhere already in Shanghai PB 3:59.23. Second Obiri 3:59.68 PB and only third G. Dibaba 4:00.85.
5000 m: The clash of the day. Vivian beats Meseret by 0.03. 14:35.62 to 14:35.65. Last lap in 58.44. Also a (expected) world lead.
100mH: In close race Harper had better finish than leader Wells (12.65 to 12.67, -0.1). Lolo crashed out at hurdle number one.
400mH: Spencer second win after Doha 54.39 over Demus 54.80. Walker beaten.
TJ: First years clash of Daegu medalists for Saladukha 14.75 EL (eq) over Rypakova 14.73 and Ibarguen 14.71.
SP: Adams ruled, five throws enough to win, the best 21.03 was WL and MR (her 3rd best of career). Gong beats Ostapchuk 19.79 to 19.58.
JT: Last round bombs: Viljoen 67.95 WL followed by Spotakova 68.65 WL. Other top names clearly beaten.
RESULTS
MARSEILLE (FRA, May 31): Belgian Jonathan Borlee won here at the international meet the 400 m in 45.30 ahead of Teddy Venel 45.62. Ethiopian Abiyote Abinet posted good 1500 m 3:36.72 over South African Johan Cronje 3:36.83. Other South Africans won their events. Hannes Dreyer the 100 m in 10.43 (-0.5), Tsholofelo Thipe women 400 m (51.79) and Zarck Visser the long jump (796, 0.0). Home wins for Carima Louami in the women 100 m (11.52, -1.2) and Adriana Lamalle hurdles 13.06 (+0.1). Portugal record holder Maria Leonore Tavares won the pole vault (435) and Senegal´s Mamadou Kasse Hann was the best in the 400 m hurdles (49.41) over Naman Keita (50.65). Poland beat France in women 4×100 m (43.78 and 44.01).
YALTA (UKR, May 31): Serhiy Reheda achieved the best result during first day of Ukrainian junior championships with 77.02 in the hammer (6 kg).
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