by Larry Eder
Greg Rutherford, photo by PhotoRun.netsurgery.
EME NEWS (MAY 4, 2012)
Russian olympic wild-cards
MOSCOW (RUS): Russian head coach Valentin Maslakov confirmed that World
Champions from Daegu will get automatic selection for Olympic Games.
That concerns walkers Olga Kaniskina, Valeriy Borchin and Sergey Bakulin
added by Mariya Savinova in the 800 m, Mariya Abakumova in javelin,
Anna Chicherova in the high jump, Tatyana Lysenko in hammer, Yulia
Zaripova in steeple and Tatyana Chernova in heptathlon. That means also
that this athletes will not be forced to compete at Russian
Championships (July 3-6 in Cheboksary) and could be the starters at the
European Championships in Helsinki. “We will not force them to go to
Helsinki, it will be individual decision of this world champions,” said
Maslakov. Also current world leaders could recieve such a wild-cards but
that will be considered on individual basis, one such confirmed case is
pole vault star Yelena Isinbaeva with guaranteed olympic team place.
The team for Helsinki will be formed after the Russian Team
Championships in Sochi on May 26-27. For olympic selection apart of wild
card holders top two will qualify from national championships and third
will be selected by coaches. In combined events the nationals will be
held on June 2-3 in Cheboksary and for rest of walking places the IAAF
Race Walking World Cup in Saransk will be the main qualifier.
Doha duels
DOHA (QAT): One week before the Samsung Diamond League third year opener
in Doha (May 11) organisers confirmed top clashes of the event. Women´s
3000 m with Vivian Cheruiyot against Meseret Defar is very special,
also Barbora Spotakova against Mariya Abakumova as revenge after Daegu
in women javelin. Men´s duels Asafa Powell against Justin Gatlin in the
100 m, LaShawn Merritt with Angelo Taylor in the 400 m (already happened
in Guadeloupe this week and Merritt clearly won), David Rudisha with
Mohammed Aman in the 800 m in their first meet since Aman beat Rudisha
in Milano last year. In the distances Kenenisa Bekele against the clock
could be the headliner, but Augustine Choge is tough man to beat, Asbel
Kiprop vs. Abubaker Kaki in the 1500 m but here also somebody from the
others would be ready for surprise. For local fans Mutaz Barshim against
Jesse Williams and Dimitrios Hondrokoukis in the high jump is the top
one. Two more women races to follow: 100 m with Veronica
Campbell-Brown (her season first meet) with Allyson Felix and 800 m with
Kenyans Pamela Jelimo and Janeth Jepkosgei.
Asafa will not run
KINGSTON (JAM): Star sprinter Asafa Powell will not compete at the JN
Invitational in Kingston on Saturday. He was scheduled to run the 200 m against
Yohan Blake among others. “The groin is too tight for a hard 200 m race
and so he decided not to run,” explained his agent Paul Doyle. In other
interesting situation around Powell, Jamaican media informed that he has
teamed up with his brother Nigel Powell to invest in a new online
venture called IrieSocial, described as a digital marketplace where
subscribers can get deals on purchases. The idea for the company came
from Garnette Rose. The partners say IrieSocial will be able to offer
savings of 50 to 90 per cent, at the launch of the company on Wednesday
in New Kingston.
OTHER NEWS
PRAGUE (CZE): 19th edition of Odlozil Memorial in Praha (June 11, EA
Premium meet) will be staged this year at Rosicky stadium (site of 1978
European Championships) due to reconstruction works at Juliska Stadium.
Home elite already confirmed its participation including javelin world
record holder Barbora Spotakova, Jakub Holusa at 1500 m, Jirina
Ptacnikova in the pole vault, Zuzana Hejnova at 400 m hurdles and Jirina
Ptacnikova in the pole vault. The meet will start already at 3.15 pm
to be broadcasted live by Czech Television due to European football
matches later during the day.
OTTAWA (CAN): Athletics Canada announced that shot putter Justin Rodhe
has been ruled eligible by the International Association of Athletics
Federations (IAAF) to represent Canada at the 2012 Olympic Games. “This
is an affirmation for all the hard work I have put in, along with a lot
of other people,” Rodhe said. “I just tried to focus on training and
preparation, you can’t allow yourself to worry, and you just have to
throw your fate to the wolves sometimes.” Rodhe adds, “I’ve hit the
A-plus standard, all I need to do is finish top-three at the Trials in
Calgary to qualify for London.” Rodhe’s season got off to a blazing
start leading all Canadian shot putters and establishing a new indoor
personal best of 20.95-metres. Justin carried his momentum to the
outdoor season where on April 21 in Lawrence, Kansas he set a new
outdoor personal best of 21.11.
MAINZ (GER): Discus legend Lars Riedel finally ended his journey this
week in the Let´s Dance competition. But it was his 8th round already
before beeing send out. In the past for example pole vaulter Tim
Lobinger made it only to two rounds.
FRANKFURT (GER): Germany sends to IAAF Race Walking World Cup in Saransk
9 walkers. In the 20 km Hagen Pohle with Marcel Lehmberg, in the 50 km
strong team with Andre Hohne, Christopher Linke, Maik Berger and
Carsten Schmidt. The two women are the two best Sabine Krantz with
Melanie Seeger. The only junior is Nils Brembach.
BERLIN (GER): The best German one day meeting ISTAF of Berlin (September
2, IAAF World Challenge) is set for a top edition again. At the recent
media conference positive news were reported. TV contract with ARD/ZDF
was extended until 2015. The meet with expected more than 50 000
spectators will have 2 hours life transmission (ARD). High jumper Ariane
Friedrich and discus thrower Robert Harting are the first stars
confirmed to compete. New title sponsor is Novomatic coming from
Spielbank Berlin. Already 20 000 tickets have been sold. Meet director
Gerhard Janetzky wants to organise something special, a mixed sprint
relay (two women and two men).
HALLE (GER): Another top throwing clash at the meet in Halle (May
19) will be women discus with world champion Li Yanfeng of China against
top German and home thrower Nadine Muller. She was second in Daegu
behind her Chinese rival and leads the world lists with 68.89 from
March.
SOFIA (BUL): European Athletics is to announce the host city of the 2015
European Athletics Indoor Championships on Saturday. The decision by
the European Athletics Council will be made following presentations by
the candidate cities of Istanbul and Prague. European Athletics will
award the rights to host the 2015 edition during its 132nd Council
meeting that started on Friday in Sofia, Bulgaria. Following a draw on
Friday morning, Istanbul will make the first presentation and then
Prague. The European Athletics Council, led by President Hansjörg Wirz,
will decide on a number of important issues during the Spring Council
meeting set for 4-6 May. There will also be reports from recent meetings
of the Competition and Development Committees.
BRUSSELS (BEL): Olympic high jump winner Tia Hellebaut confirmed she
will jump at the “Meeting Mohammed VI” the IAAF World Challenge meet in
Rabat on May 27. It will be her summer season opener. Hellebaut in her
planning is not counting with European Championships in Helsinki, but
leaves the door open for possible change. Also other Belgian athletes
will compete in Rabat as confirmation of the cooperation between Rabat
and Brussels regions. Belgian TV is helping with the TV production and
Wilfried Meert is the athlete liaison of the meet.
PRAGUE (CZE): Two top international headliners for Prague International
Marathon on May 13 will be Kenyans. Philemon Limo with 59:30 half best
will debut at the distance. He won last year Prague Half Marathon and
this year was third. Title defender Lydia Cheromei (2:22:34 in Praha
2011) is the top woman already with better personal best 2:21:30 as 6th
this year in Dubai. Around the Prague Marathon one of the top functions
will be the 19th AIMS Congress. All 9000 places are already sold for the
race.
BELEM (BRA): Brazilian Athletics Tour (five meetings in May) starts on
Sunday in Belem. Home stars are headed by olympic winner Maurren Maggi
in the long jump. Other top Brazilians are Fabio Gomes in the pole vault
(against US Mark Hollis), world indoor long jump champion Mauro
Vinicius Da Silva, Bruno de Barros and Sandro Viana in sprints (against
US Rae Edwards in the 100 m and Michael Matheiu of Bahamas in the 200
m). Keila Costa is entered not only in the long jump, but also in the triple
jump (with Cuban Mabel Gay and Jamaican Trecia Smith). World medalist
Yarelis Barrios of Cuba competes in discus throw. Interesting European
entry is Croatian high jumper Ana Simic. In women sprints home fastest
Ana Claudia Lemos and Rosangela Santos with US Alexandria Anderson,
Tiffany Townsend, Briton Anyika Onuora and Nigerian Oludamola Osayomi.
HANNOVER (GER): Course records will be the target in both the men’s
and the women’s race of the TUI Hanover Marathon, which will be staged
on Sunday. A group of Kenyans and Ethiopians are the ones capable to
break the current records of 2:08:52 and 2:31:19. A total of 14,221
runners are expected to take part in the various running events of the
race. The TUI Hanover Marathon is an IAAF Bronze Label Race. In the
men’s race three athletes have been entered with personal bests of sub
2:10. It is Ethiopia’s Megersa Bacha Chikuala who features the fastest
time of the elite runners (2:08:55 in Torino last year). Top Kenyan is
Peter Kurui (2:08:56) with third last year here Amos Mutai. Organisers
have been unlucky with a couple of late withdrawals. Among them was
Kenya’s Olympic Steeplechase Champion from Sydney 2000, Reuben Kosgei.
It would be a surprise if the course record would not fall in the
women’s race provided weather conditions will be fine as forecasted. The
big favourite comes from Ethiopia: Eyerusalem Kuma has a personal best
of 2:24:55. Another woman who wants to follow a 73:00 minutes half
marathon pace is Leah Malot (39). A German athlete to watch is Katharina
Heinig. The 22 year-old daughter of former world-class runner Katrin
Dörre, who had won the Olympic marathon bronze medal in 1988 (the year
before Katharina was born) and won the London Marathon three times.
ST. MARTIN (FRA): Saturday´s first international meet at this Caribbean
Island will see LaShawn Merritt running the 200 m, triple world indoor
champion Will Claye in the 100 m. Italian Claudio Licciardello is
scheduled for the 400 m. In women 100 m in-shape US Lashauntea Moore
meets Jamaican Sheri-Ann Brooks. Another Italian entry is Libania Grenot
for the 400 m with Keshia Baker and Nigerian hurdler Ajoke Odumosu.
Great field in the women hurdles with US Champions Kristi Castlin and
Kellie Wells along with Damu Cherry, Queen Harrison and Ginnie Crawford.
BRUSSELS (BEL): Wilfried Meert, organizer of the Brussels Diamond League
meeting Memorial Van Damme, told Belgian press that this year’s edition
of the meeting could become the most expensive edition in the history
of the event. Meert explained that Brussels is hoping to attract
multiple Olympic champions and will have to invest in order to have the
best athletes at the starting line on September 7th. With the Olympics
in the British capital as a highlight of the sporting year and of the
athletics season, the organisers of the Memorial could not have wished
for a more suited artist than Nicholas James Gentry to design the poster
of the 2012 edition. The artwork by Nicholas, Nick Gentry says, is
influenced by the increased use and impact of technology, and the
consumerism in contemporary society. He often uses already processed
materials and artifacts in his works.
LONDON (GBR): London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe revealed that the
athletics test event for the Olympics, the British Universities and
Colleges Sport (BUCS) Visa Outdoor Athletics Championships, will be
particularly special for him when the four-day event gets underway
writes Insidethegames. The BUCS Visa Outdoor Athletics Championships,
which will run from May 4 until 7 at the Olympic Stadium, will see
around 1,500 student athletes from around 100 of Britain’s higher
education institutions compete in a full programme of track and field
events in a championships that will be used by London 2012 to test all
the key facilities at the venue.
KINGSTON (JAM): The Caribbean and North American audiences will see live
coverage of this Saturday’s JN Jamaica Invitational and the Jamaican
National Senior Trials, which SportsMax will make available globally via
TV and the Internet platforms. The Caribbean cable giant will be
providing live Internet streaming and live television coverage of this
weekend’s JN Jamaica International Invitational to the Caribbean
(excluding Jamaica) via SportsMax and to the USA and Canada via CEEN
reports The Jamaican Gleaner.
NEW YORK (USA): Bryan Clay is hopeful he will be part of the USA team
at the London Olympic Games and told the Register Guard he has no
pressure on his shoulders. “I don’t have to be perfect. I can go out,
relax, have fun and put up a good score and see where that leads me. If I
do that, I think I’ll come home with a medal” Clay was quoted. The
32-year old decathlete also explained that he is feeling refreshed and
is enjoying the sport after signing a new endorsement deal with Asics.
FIRENZE (ITA): Happy Birthday to legendary Italian statistician and
historian, ATFS co-founder and author Roberto Luigi Quercetani who is
celebrating on Friday his 90th birthday.
RESULTS
PRETORIA (RSA, May 4): During first day of South African Open
Championships German world record holder Betty Heidler achieved high
level 76.66 beating Kathrin Klaas who got 75.13 in the hammer throw.
Wenda Theron clocked in her heat at the 400 m hurdles olympic qualifier
and personal best 55.37. National record holder Simon Magakwe won the
100 m in 10.18 (-2.0), reaching the Olympic Qualifying A-standard time
for the fourth time in the last month. He was even faster in semifinals
with 10.13 (+0.9). Zarck Visser improved his personal best with a leap
of 815 (+0.8) in the second round of the men’s long jump. In women 400 m
Tsholofelo Thipe reached the A-standard (51.55) in the women’s 400m
for second time with 51.47. But she was second to Tjipekapora
Herunga of Namibia who clocked 51.24 national record. Also to note in
the men´s 400 m hurdles heats Kurt Couto of Mozambique clocked 49.52.
Globine Mayova won the women 100 m in national record for Namibia 11.54
(+0.6) and in the men´s 100 m semifinals national record for Lesotho as
Mosito Lehata clocked 10.33 (+0.4).
BUENOS AIRES (ARG, May 3): Youth Olympic Games winner Braian Toledo won
the javelin during second day of “Profesor Hugo La Nasa” meet with 79.73
what is new national senior record and South American U23 and junior
record. More good home wins for German Lauro in discus 60.52 and German
Chiaraviglio 540 in the pole vault.
SHIZUOKA (JPN, May 3): Additional results as Irish Jo Cuddihy won the
women 400 m in fast 51.43 clearly ahead of US Mary Wineberg 52.18.
Kenyans clocked solid 5000 m times Paul Tanui 13:19.18 beating Patrick
Mutunga 13:21.22, John Thuo 13:23.41 and Martin Mathathi 13:27.06.
European U23 Champion Pawel Fajdek of Poland won the hammer with 75.97
beating Asian Games winner Dilshod Nazarov of Tajikistan 75.45. On the
women side to add Japanese relay wins 43.79 and 3:33.64 and Yuriko
Kobayashi 15:30.95 in the 5000 m.
SAN DIEGO (USA, May 3): Briton Greg Rutherford equalled British long
jump record here at the OTC Meet with 835 with ideal wind support of
+2.0. Eric Cadee of Netherlands continues with discus wins in USA, this
time 65.90 m.
CORRECTION
BIALYSTOK (POL): Correct result of Piotr Malachowski was 65.62
