by Larry EderThe Aviva series for 2012 ended with a great event, the AVIVA Birmingham DL on Sunday, August 26, 2012. Aries Merritt comes out flying, running 12.95 for the 110m hurdles, with Jason Richardson not far behind, with his 12.98.
Aries Merritt, 110m hurdles, London 2012,
photo by PhotoRun.net
In the women’s 100 meters, Carmelita Jeter, who had taken a close on in Lausanne from Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce, made it clear who was the winner with a 10.81 to 10.90 victory.
100 meter final, London 2012,
photo by PhotoRun.net
And, to finish off a great day of athletics, new father of twin girls Mo Farah, who had won the 5,000m and 10,000m in London, used a 26.84 last 200 meters to show who is the king of distance running in 2012.
Mo Farah wins London Olympic 5,000m,
photo by PhotoRun.net
Kudos to Uk Athletics, their sponsors and meet director Ian Stewart, who once again show that track and field, is about the competition, and, properly produced, can bring crowds and sponsors.
80,000 fans in the evening, 75,000 fans in the morning sessions. Track & Field is the most popular sport in the Olympics, bar none. BBC media from TV to radio to digital did a great job in giving their readers and viewers what they needed when they needed it. NBC needs to learn from BBC. They would not have lost an iota of their audience with live coverage (and even charged for it).
MERRITT, JETER AND MOBOT
BIRMINGHAM (GBR, Aug 26): Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix was the last meet of Samsung Diamond League before the two finals. Best results by Aries Merritt in 12.95 at 110 m hurdles and Carmelita Jeter with 10.81 at the 100 m. But most cheers for British hero Mo Farah who was competing for first time since his golden games. Another British win for Grabarz, but on the other side Ohuruogu and Rutherford were beaten. Spencer at 400 m hurdles and Spotakova in javelin are having now points enough to win the Diamond Race.
Event by event review
Men
200 m: Ashmeade beats strong olympic field in 20.12 over Tyson Gay who completed his first 200 m since July 22, 2010 in Monaco (19.72) in 20.21. Young Gemili as 6th gets 20.53 PB.
400 m: Late shape win for hurdler Angelo Taylor in 44.93 over olympic medalist Santos 44.96 and finalist J. Borlee 45.15.
1500 m: Gebremedhin was close to win in Lausanne already, now did it in 3:34.80. Behind him four Kenyans. Olympic medalists well beaten Iguider 7th, Manzano 11th.
2 miles: The star of the day home hero Mo Farah as fresh father won in 8:27.24 world lead (worth of 7:49.67 in the 3000 m) ahead of another European runner Meucci 8:28.28 PB.
Steeple: Birech won the race without pacemakers in solid 8:20.27 ahead of oly medalist Mutai 8:25.42.
110mH: Top male result of the meet for Merritt in 12.95 (-0.9, also MR) over Richardson 12.98 (equaled his PB).
HJ: In another duel of top 3 from Lausanne a home win for Grabarz 232 over Ukhov and Silnov (both 228) with Mutaz fourth (224).
LJ: Surprise winner here and only one over 8 meters Russian Menkov beat all favorites (818 in first jump) including olympic winners Rutherford (788) and Taylor (795).
DT: Olympic winner Robert Harting competed for first time in Diamond League this year and as usual won with 66.64.
Women
100 m: Carmelita Jeter showed top shape with 10.81 (+0.7) meet record win (she also clocked 11.01 MR in heats), the best female result of the day and unlike in Lausanne clearly beat Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 10.90.
400 m: Jamaican Whyte did not allow with 50.20 (season best) home win for Ohuruogu 50.67.
800 m: Revenge for Savinova, the olympic winner this time beat
Jelimo in race without pacemakers 2:00.40 to 2:01.43.
1500 m: Another competitive race won by Anna Pierce of USA in 4:11.33.
3000 m: Surprise win for Mercy Cherono in 8:41.21 in close duel over Vivian Cheruiyot 8:41.22. Third another olympic medalist Sally Kipyego 8:42.74. 6th home Bleasdale European leading time of the year 8:46.38 (also PB).
400mH: Spencer wins again over Olympic medalists in meet record 53.78 (Hejnova third, Antyukh fourth). She is also now Diamond Race winner.
PV: Jenn Suhr ended her season with 465 win here over Silva 465 also but in second attempt.
TJ: Saladuha finally beats oly winner Rypakova with 14.40 (after first 3 fouls) over 14.34. But in-between Kimberly Williams from Jamaica 14.37.
SP: Valerie Adams in her own game wins with 20.52. Second place was behind by 1.81 m.
JT: Another clear ruler in her event is Spotakova, win with 66.08 meet best, nearly 3 meters ahead of the rest. She is also Diamond Race winner.
CARTER VERY CLOSE WITH 10.01
DUBNICA (SVK, Aug 26): The 10th jubilee Athletics Bridge – Zdenek Hrbacek Memorial saw meeting records in 7 events in rainy weather before capacity crowd of 5000. At the end rain stopped, nearly no wind and full stadium expected the first sub 10 in Slovakia. It nearly happened as Nesta Carter after great start clocked 10.01 (0.0), Slovak All-Comers record (exactly 10.007). „Weather definitely played a role, so I must return next year to break the barrier,” said Carter with a smile. His relay gold medal colleague Michael Frater was second in 10.12 just edging Dwain Chambers who also did 10.12. Bronze London winner Timothy Kitum tried at 1000 m to attack the world junior record, but the runners did not follow the pacemakers, at the end Abraham Rotich clocked meet record 2:17.08 ahead of Australian Jeff Riseley 2:17.63 and Kitum third 2:17.96. Earlier in the 800 m another young Kenyan belonging to the junior category Edwin Melly got meet record 1:45.82 beating Nicholas Koech 1:46.82. Dawn Harper tried hard to attack her own meet record but in rain could not do better than still high caliber 12.68 (-0.4) ahead of Queen Harrison 12.81 and Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (30th birthday on the day) 12.94. Another meet record and Slovak all-comers mark in women steeple by Lydia Chepkurui in 9:30.82 beating Fancy Cherotich 9:35.03 and Ukrainian Helsinki medalist Svitlana Shmidt 9:37.90. In women 1000 m in dramatic finish US Brenda Martinez won in 2:38.48 just ahead of Belarus Marina Arzamasava (started the race as pacemaker) also 2:38.48 and Slovak olympic finalist Lucia Klocova who with 2:38.72 broke old national record. Sub 2:40 also for fourth Angelika Cichocka of Poland 2:38.78 and fifth Amela Terzic with Serbian record 2:39.79. From three throwing olympic winners two were the winners. Krisztian Pars dominated hammer with 79.84 over strong field where 6th place was worth 76.16. Tomasz Majewski attacked in slippery circle 21 meters with 20.98 the best throw. In women hammer Betty Heidler ruled with 75.19 as Cuban Yipsi Moreno with 74.86 still with last throw beat London gold medalist Tatyana Lysenko 74.76. Another meet record in women high jump where Svetlana Shkolina cleared first 193 and then 197 and twice improved the event best in rain. Despite not favorable weather she also gave the enthusiastic crowd three tries at two meters. Pole vaulters were in shape but unfortunately due to rain their event was stopped at 574 where still 3 were jumping. Czech Jan Kudlicka cleared before then with first attempt clearence meet record 567. World leader Vitezslav Vesely won the javelin with 80.47 and also saved his energy for Diamond League final in Zurich when he passed two last throws. The only Slovak win of the day in meet record by 8th walker from Olympics Matej Toth who achieved 11:05.95 in the 3000 m event. Laverne Jones-Ferrette of US Virgin Islands beat a good field with 3 olympic relay medalists (Tarmoh, Stuy, Henry-Robinson) in women 100 m with 11.29 against -1.0 wind. Belarus Helsinki medalist Aliaksei Tsiapik won the triple jump with 16.58 (-0.2).
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
LAHTI (FIN, Aug 26): Javelin as expected was the highlight of last day of Finnish Cha
mpionships. Olympic bronze medalist Antti Ruuskanen improved to 87.79 what is second best result in the world this year. Second place for Ari Mannio 84.62 and third Tero Pitkamäki 83.48. Jonathan Astrand won the 200 m in solid 20.72 (0.0).
STOCKHOLM (SWE, Aug 26): Nil de Oliveira won the 200 m in 20.75 (+0.3) during final day of Swedish Championships. Kim Amb achieved 80.73 in the javelin. European 400 m champion Moa Hjelmer after 100 m won also the 200 m in 23.50 (-0.2).
PAMPLONA (ESP, Aug 26): Second day of Spanish Championships saw a farewell for Ruth Beitia and her winning mark 196 in the high jump. In the expected racing finals Luis Alberto Marco won the 800 m in 1:47.77 over Antonio Reina 1:47.84. David Bustos got the 1500 m win in 3:45.93 over Diego Ruiz 3:46.06 and Alvaro Rodriguez 3:46.18. Angel Mullera was the best in the steeple 8:31.28 and Miguel Angel Lopez won the 10 000 m walk 40:25.31.
KRISTIANSAND (NOR, Aug 26): Last day of Norwegian Championships had Tonje Angelsen 190 in the high jump, European Champion Henrik Ingebrigtsen got the 1500 m title in 3:43.07 and Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal was the best in the 5000 m with 15:36.18.
OTHER TRACK RESULTS
BEDFORD (GBR, Aug 25-26): At Inter Counties meeting 18-years old Chijundu Ujah clocked impressive 10.26 (+1.5) in the 100 m. Luke Fagan won the 200 m in 20.88 (+1.5, also 20.67 in semifinal) and Nigel Levine clocked 46.34 in the 400 m.
WOERDEN (NED, Aug 26): Czech Adam Sebastian Helcelet scored 7867 points to win the International Combined events meeting in Netherlands. Norway record holder Ida Marcussen was the best in the heptathlon with 5949 points.
TALLINN (EST, Aug 26): At special high jump gala Ana Iljustsenko cleared 192 to win, Tia Hellebaut got 181 as 6th. In the men competition Arvydas Stanys of Lithuania won with 2224 clearance over Oleksandr Nartov of Ukraine and Jaroslav Baba of Czech Republic, both 221 cm.
TORUN (POL, Aug 26): Kamil Krynski clocked 20.84 (+0.5) in the 200 m at Dunecki Memorial meet.
KIELCE (POL, Aug 26): Konrad Szuster in discus 62.16 and Joanna Fiodorow in hammer 72.00 were the top results at the 7th meet here.
CZESTOCHOWA (POL, Aug 25): Marek Plawgo achieved 50.55 at 400 m Hurdles here.
WELS (AUT, Aug 26): Olympic starter Ivona Dadic scored 5552 points to win the Austrian heptathlon title.
VERVIERS (BEL, Aug 26): Excellent score of 5916 points in heptathlon in the U20 category for Nafissatou Thiam at Belgian Combined Events Championships.
PARDUBICE (CZE, Aug 26): Jan Veleba scored a fast double 10.50 (-2.0) and 20.87 (+0.3) at a National League meet. Ladislav Prasil achieved 19.55 in the shot put. Lenka Masna clocked 2:04.44 in the 800 m and Slovak walker Maria Czakova was timed with 12:55.82 in the 3000 m race.
HANNOVER (GER, Aug 26): Kai Kazmierek won the German decathlon title with 7924 points.
ROAD RESULTS
CAPE TOWN (RSA, Aug 26): At South African Half-Marathon Championships Stephen Mokoka retained his title after running the fastest time ever on a standard course in South Africa. He won his fourth national half-marathon crown in 1:00:57, 11 seconds ahead of 2010 champion Lucky Mohale 1:01:08. Mokoka, who finished only 49th in the Olympic Marathon two weeks ago, moved into sixth place on the South African all-time list (all courses). The previous fastest time in South Africa on a standard course was the 1:00:58 run by Lawrence Peu when he won the national title in East London in 1991. In the women’s race René Kalmer, who won the Spar Grand Prix Series 10 km in Pretoria the previous afternoon in sweltering conditions in 34:50, took her 33rd national title with a relaxed 1:14:40 ahead of sister Christine’s personal best of 1:15:23. Informs Race Results Weekly. National marathon record holder Gert Thys (1:06:55), who is fourth on the all-time half-marathon list, was second in the veteran (master) age group behind Johannes Kekana (1:06:23).
FLINT (USA, Aug 25): At 36th Crim 10-Mile Road Race and Festival of Races Kenyan Julius Kogo won here for the third year in a row (46:45), while Caroline Rotich easily took the women’s title (53:43). Rotich is gearing up for the Chicago Marathon. Informs RRW.
FELTRE (ITA, Aug 25): Philemon Kipchumba won in 27:00 the 24th Giro delle Mura Cittŕ di Feltre at 9.5 km. Defending champion Sergey Lebid of Ukraine finished second in 27:03.
MOMBASA (KEN, Aug 26): Kenyan Paul Thueri clocked 2:12:26 to win the 28th Safaricom Mombasa International Marathon. Second Peter Biwott 2:12:54 and third Daniel Kilimo 2:12:55. Women winner Hellen Mugo got 2:37:16 ahead of Beatrice Chepkorir 2:37:25. From RRW.
ASUNCION (PAR, Aug 26): Ben Kiplimo Mutai won the International Marathon here in 2:22:50, best woman was Eunice Kirwa with 2:33:42 ahead of Carmer Martinez who clocked Paraguay record 2:48:14. The SA Half-Marathon Championships saw Kenyan Mark Korir 1:03:54 being the best with the title going Flavio Henriques Guimaraes of Brazil as 3rd in 1:08:23. Consolata Cherotich of Kenya won the women half-marathon in 1:17:45 ahead of Adriana Silva da Luz of Brazil 1:17:50. From RRW.
SLOVYANSK (UKR, Aug 25): Ukrainian road 10 km titles for Ihor Heletiy 29:56 and Tetyana Holovchenko 33:48.
ARRAS (FRA, Aug 26): African wins at 10 km road race here for Gervais Hakizimana of Rwanda (29:19) and Immaculate Chemutai from Kenya (35:24).
