WHITING 21.65, HOFFA 21.60

LAWRENCE (USA, Apr 17): The 86th Kansas Relays began for third time with special shot put, but because of weather fears it was held indoors at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. World Indoor Champ 2012 Ryan Whiting won with excellent 21.65 in last round ahead of last year world number one Reese Hoffa who got 21.60 with the fifth throw. Third Canadian Justin Rodhe with his overall best 21.12. Over 20 also fourth Cory Martin 20.32. „It feels great,” said Whiting following his victory. „I don’t get to do that to (Hoffa) very much. He’s done that to me a lot (come from behind to win), so I kind of turned the tables on him and saw how he liked it.” Informs meet website. They will meet again next week at Drake Relays. Unfortunately no world lead as it was held indoors. The 2009 World Champion Christian Cantwell had only one valid throw of 18.24 as 8th. Hoffa didn’t leave the fairgrounds without a victory though. After the shot put event concluded, he defeated KU senior basketball player Kevin Young in a Rubik’s Cube speed battle. Hoffa was able to solve the puzzle in 1:25 to defeat the KU forward.

LEMAITRE TO USA

PARIS (FRA): European sprint champion Christophe Lemaitre traveled this week to Miami in Florida for his overseas training camp. His coach Pierre Carraz remained home. Lemaitre says for L´Équipe: „I have not stopped since the winter, I have not missed a session despite the rain and cold. I do not know where I am but we did tests on 80, 150 and 250 m and the coach told me he had never timed such a fast times, specially at the 150 m.” His next race will be the 100 m at the Penn Relays on April 27. He should have big rivals in the race in US olympic finalists Justin Gatlin and Ryan Bailey. „My coach would be satisfied with something between 10.00-10.10, but it depends on the conditions,” Lemaitre said. After return to France he will run at club meets, St. Etienne on May 5 (200 m) and Villeneuve d´Ascq on May 19 (100 m). His season is set as informs L´Équipe. After local meets he should run the 150 m on the street in Manchester on May 25, then 200 m in Montreuil on June 3 and 100 m in Rabat on June 9. In the European Team Championships in Gateshead he plans 100 m and possibly the 200 m with relay). Then his schedule is clear until the World Championships with Paris Diamond League (200 m), National Championships, Herculis in Monaco (100 m) and London Diamond League (100 m and or 200 m).

MARATHON NEWS

LONDON (GBR): Ugandan Stephen Kiprotich is the olympic winner, can he confirm the position in a top field of London Marathon on Sunday, that is the question. Nonetheless, the Nike-sponsored athlete and his coach, Patrick Sang, believe that Kiprotich will do well and isn’t feeling too much pressure. He doesn’t turn 24 until tomorrow. „I’m very happy to come and compete in this marathon,” Kiprotich told reporters today in a boyish voice. „I don’t have any pressure for me. I just feel proud. In the competition everything is possible. I always believe everything is possible,” added Kiprotich. „As a coach, first of all you need to have the talent to work with,” Sang told Race Results Weekly in an interview. „So, when I met him I realized he had the talent. Then, I realized that he also had the ability to listen and follow instructions. So, it was only a matter of time for him to achieve better results from when I met him.” Sang has taken some heat for being a Kenyan who coached a Ugandan Olympic champion, similar to American Alberto Salazar’s coaching Britain’s double Olympic champion Mo Farah. But Sang, who also coaches Emmanuel Mutai and former world 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge, defended himself.

LONDON (GBR): London marathon published its high quality pacemakers. For men 2:03:30 target Dennis Kimetto, Wilfred Kirwa and Mike Kigen. For women final goal 2:18:30 Valentine Kipketer and Hellah Kiprop.

LONDON (GBR): Seven of the current Top 10 men in the World Marathon Majors standings will compete at the Virgin London Marathon this weekend. Tsegaye Kebede and Wilson Kipsang are tied for the current lead with 35 points, also running in London is 4th in a tie Stephen Kiprotich and Geoffrey Mutai with 25 points. All is set for a new leader after London. Different is the situation among women. Rita Jeptoo the winner in Boston leads with 40 points over Sharon Cherop, third in Boston 35 and third Mary Keitany with 30 just gave birth to a daughter. But there are three runners with 25 points who are running London (Atseda Baysa, Tiki Gelana and Priscah Jeptoo) and can change the rankings.

BOSTON (USA): The Boston Marathon winner Lelisa Desisa has so far a splendid marathon career. He won both of his races at the distance, in January in Dubai and now in Boston. Speaking to< a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); ">http://blogs.wsj.com/ he said about his winning time on Monday: „Time is never important. Every race has different tactics and a different way to achieve the same result to win. Yesterday, the group chose not to run fast so I chose to go with it and focus on the win. Boston is a very different course than Dubai and in Dubai, we had pacemakers to follow. Again, time doesn’t matter…it is all about the victory.” About the unfortunate happenings he said: „I have never experienced anything like the explosions at the finish line in Boston. I didn’t hear the explosion. I was at the hotel in my room getting a shower. This is my first time running in Boston so I don’t know what it would have been like to celebrate the victory. The awards ceremony was canceled and my manager said the trophy will be given to me at another time. I am very sorry for all of the victims of this tragedy. I pray for all of them.”

PRAHA (CZE): In the light of the unfortunate events during the Boston Marathon on Monday, organisers of the RunCzech races have formed a crisis team to discuss the possibility of increasing the level of security at its races. Director of the RunCzech races, Václav Skrivánek made the following statement: “As the oldest marathon in the world, the Boston Marathon ranks among one of the greatest symbols in world athletics and so Monday’s event has had a really big impact on us. We have a very close relationship with the organisers there and our hearts go out to the injured runners and the families mourning their loved ones.” He went on to say: “At this stage we are working on making modifications to the safety management model currently in place at our races, and will be revealing further details of this. We will be drawing inspiration from the forthcoming London Marathon which representatives of our organising team will be attending in addition to other international races with whom we have established longstanding cooperation.”

THESSALONIKI (GRE): The 8th Alexander The Great Marathon will have as top entry Ethiopian title defender Metaferia Teklu Geto. He clocked one year back 2:18:44 here. In women race Greek marathon champion 2012 Magda Gazea. Current entries are showing 1700 names for marathon, 2800 for the 10 km and in total with children around 12 700 participants.

PADOVA (ITA): Top names for this Sunday 14th Maratona S. Antonio will be Roberto Paula, the Ethiopians Guta Birbo and debuting Girma Getachew, the Kenyan Paul Kibet Kosgei, Italians Gualdi and Ricatii. Paula was last year here third and gained in Padova his olympic qualification with 2:10:23 and later was 8th in Olympic marathon in London. Among women the Ukrainian Tetyana Vernyhor (2:33:48) will have the challenge from Moroccan Janet Hanane (2:34:20) and Ethiopian Aynalem Woldemichael (2:36:55). Not to forget Brazilian Sirlene De Pinho (2:35:45). Course records are 2:09:02 and 2:29:25 from 2011.

OTHER NEWS

BRADENTON (USA): On Wednesday in the company of student-athletes and their families, staff, alumni, professional athletes, sports performance partners, community leaders, and many more, IMG Academy broke ground on a world-class, multi-sport complex. A state-of-the-art stadium, opening in August 2013, marks the first phase of expansion. The stadium will feature: 5,000 seats with the ability to scale to 10,000; a professional-quality Bermuda grass surface with TV-ready lights; an 8-lane, 400m track and additional training areas for jumps and throws; a broadcast-ready press box with coach, press, radio rooms and hospitality suites; and a collegiate-style video board. A new, lighted stadium field for baseball will also open, paving the way for the addition of a baseball quadraplex that will rival any spring training facility. The second phase will open in December 2013 and feature a 40,000-square foot fieldhouse with multiple locker rooms, meeting spaces, and offices. Phase Three will include a research and development facility for sports performance companies looking for a permanent research home on the IMG Academy campus, as well as the addition of new multi-sport field venues to bring the total of playing fields to more than 20, servicing soccer, lacrosse, baseball, and football. Informs Loren Seagrave.

GEORGETOWN (CAY): The women’s 400 m hurdles lineup for the 2013 Cayman Invitational holds promise for a possible nice battle. Four returnees from last year’s inaugural will be back to determine whether Ajoke Odumosu, who edged Tiffany Williams, 55.09 to 55.14,can repeat her triumph over the American. Other names from Jamaica Shevon Stoddart and Ristananna Tracey, in the field to note Kou Lougon of Liberi and Canadan Sarah Wells.

EUGENE (USA): Agent Paul Doyle spoke about Asafa Powell with Jamaica Gleaner in Eugene. „Is he (Powell) losing his appeal? No, not yet; of course there is some concern when we do deals with meets and people ask if he is going to show up healthy or if he is going to finish the race healthy, but a lot of athletes have that issue,” said Doyle. „But he is still a very big name in the sport and still a very much sought-after athlete,” Doyle underlined. „We are planning to be relatively conservative with his travel prior to the trials. The one long trip that
he will be doing is Beijing and we are working on the rest of his schedule, but he won’t be traveling much ahead of the trials,” said Doyle. „He is getting older and travel takes its toll on you, so we want to keep him more rested and focused on trials,” Paul Doyle added.

PRETORIA (RSA): Sbs.com.au informs that Oscar Pistorius does not plan to return to international athletics in the immediate future, his agent says. „Oscar has no plans to compete internationally at this point,” said Peet van Zyl. Pistorius’s focus, according to Van Zyl, „remains preparing for and dealing with the legal process in South Africa”. Pistorius returns to court on June 4.

LONDON (GBR): Daily Mail informs that last year sprint revelation, the World Junior Champion Adam Gemili is training with Tyson Gay and he cannot wait to get back on track. „I’ve flown out to Florida for four weeks of warm weather training. I’ll be able to spend a month focusing and working 100 per cent on athletics. Out there I’ll be training with Tyson Gay and his group. I was going to race while I was in the States but I’m aiming at competing at the end of May. It’s the first full winter of training I’ve had. I just want to race now,” he was quoted as saying. Fastest 100 m by Gemili was the 10.05 win at World Juniors in Barcelona.

BEIJING (CHN): More names for IAAF World Challenge in Beijing on May 21 at the Bird´s Nest, place of highly succesfull 2008 Beijing Olympics. As already informed Asafa Powell and Justin Gatlin are scheduled to run the 100 m. Now confirmed is London 400 m winner Kirani James of Grenada, he will run the 200 m. The challenge, organized by the Chinese Athletics Association and the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau, is serving as a test run for the 2015 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, in accordance with IAAF requirements and championships practice. Beijing will host another challenge in 2014. Latest top names confirmed are Kellie Wells of the US, bronze medalist in the London Games at 100 m hurdles, and Mariya Abakumova of Russia, the reigning javelin world champion. Chinese media are informing that there is on table also a bonus of 100 000 USD for breaking a world record.

DES MOINES (USA): The Hy-Vee Road Races at the Drake Relays are set to feature nearly 50 world-class road runners in addition to registered recreational runners all competing for 120 000 USD in prize money, Drake Relays director Brian Brown and Hy-Vee announced. Informs the event website. In the schedule 6 km, 10 km and a half marathon on April 28. As the races conclude, nationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson will take the stage inside Drake Stadium to entertain the competitors and crowd with a two-hour set that will bookend the Relays’ closing ceremonies. Battling for top in 10 k will be Mark Kiptoo, Kenneth Kipkemoi, Emmanuel Bett and Moses Kipsiro. The women’s 10k field includes the former American 25k and 10-mile champion in Katie McGregor and Tsehay Gebre Getiso who recently finished second in the Miami Beach Half Marathon. In the half marathon entered is Reuben Lemaa who finished third at last year’s Paris Half Marathon in 1:00.56 and recently won the Miami Beach Half Marathon and Merkebu Birke, who owns a half marathon best of 1:00.14 that was the 14th fastest time in the world last year. The women’s half marathon field includes Eunice Kirwa, who finished second in the 2012 Amsterdam Marathon and has run a half marathon in 1:08.39. The 2005 Ethiopian national champion in the 3,000 meters, Belainesh Zemedkun Gebre, is also set to race after winning the Naples Half Marathon in January.

STUTTGART (GER): Top German sprinter Tobias Unger will not compete this summer. After the knee surgery in January it would be too soon. But he is still not thinking about retirement at age of 33. Unger continues in training, but also started to work in a savings company.

LJUBLJANA (SLO): Top Slovenian triple jumper Marija Sestak who is celebrating on Thursday her 34th birthday has more happy news. She is pregnant, but still hopes to return to competition afterwards. Due to her injury anyway she planned to return for 2014 season.

NAIROBI (KEN): The Standard informs that former athletes are asking the Kenyan Government to come up with a speedy solution over Athletics Kenya election. The former global track stars, who were led by former world 5000 m champion Benjamin Limo, called on the Government to stop interfering with AK affairs. Former Olympic 1500 m champion Noah Ngeny, also the AK athletes’ representative, was among a host of global track stars, who met at Riadha House in a lengthy meeting. In Eldoret, 1992 Olympic 3000 m steeplechase bronze medalist William Mutwol said political interests should not derail the successful running of the federation. On Monday, AK voters were shocked to realise the County elections had been stopped by a court injunction.

RESULTS

AZUSA (USA, Apr 17): Jeremy Taiwo leads after first day at Azusa Multis with 4151 in decathlon (10.91-751-11.13-213-49.15).

KASARANI (KEN, Apr 18): Geoffrey Korir (17) won the boys 10 000 m on day one of the Brookside Kenya Secondary School Sports Association KSSSA in 29:02.6. At the Moi International sports Centre second Rodgers Maiyo (29:03.6) and third Joseph Mbatha (29:04.0). Ruth Chebet won the girls 5000 m in 16:16.1. The competition will help to select athletes for the East Africa Games in Uganda, Africa Junior championship in South Africa and the World Youth Championships in Donetsk.

NOTE

BOSTON (USA): David Monti points out there could not be national records from Boston marathon as informed by EME NEWS (Bermuda and Iran for men, Burundi for women) as the course has three times the allowable elevation loss for record-setting, 3.23 m/km, and nearly 100% start/finish separation.