BOLT 10.00, POWELL 10.02

KINGSTON (JAM, Jun 20): Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell won their respective men’s 100m heats during first day of Jamaican Championships. Bolt ran the day’s fastest time, 10.00 (+0.5) to beat Jason Livermore and Jacques Harvey, both timed in 10.07 (PB for both) in heat one, while Powell took the 4th and final heat in 10.02 (+1.0) ahead of Nickel Ashmeade 10.05. “First race in almost a year, I felt good,” said Powell while adding “It was easy”. Sheldon Mitchell who recently competed in Europe won his heat in 10.11 PB ahead of Ohsane Bailey 10.12 and Nesta Carter 10.17. Olympic relay gold medalist Kemar Bailey-Cole got his heat in 10.09 (+0.9) ahead of Kenroy Anderson 10.16. The depth was great as 10.29 was not enough to qualify, top casualty was Commonwealth Games winner Lerone Clarke out in 10.34. In the men’s 400m Rusheen McDonald recorded the evening’s fastest time of 45.68 seconds, and along with Javere Bell, heat 5 winner in 45.71, Nicholas Maitland 45.83, schoolboy Javon Francis 45.88, Edino Steele 45.75 and Dane Hyatt 45.99, were the only ones to break 46 seconds.

RUPP AND FLANAGAN

DES MOINES (USA, Jun 20): Olympic silver medalist Galen Rupp won his fifth national 10 000 m crown in a row in heat and humid weather, biding his time until fewer than 800 meters remained to strike and securing a birth on the IAAF World Championships starting line in 28:47.32. The 27-year-old athlete led Oregon Project teammate Dathan Ritzenhein and Jerry Schumacher-coached Chris Derrick across the line in under 29:00 minutes (28:49.66 and 28:52.25). Fourth Ben True 29:07.26. After a quick opening lap of 72 seconds, Shalane Flanagan was never seriously challenged winning her third USA 10 000 m title by 34 seconds in 31:43.20. For Flanagan, 31, an Olympic bronze medalist, it was her 15th overall national title. Second Jordan Hasay 32:17.34 and third Tara Erdmann 32:24.16. Neither of this two is assured that they will run in Moscow because they have yet to earn either the IAAF „A” or „B” (32:05.00) standard for the event. Under USA Track & Field rules, they have until July 20, to improve their times, something both the athletes and their coach said they would do in a special mixed-gender race to be held in Oregon, probably in Portland, in the coming weeks. Should both women get only the „B” standard, fourth place Amy Hastings (32:31.28) would make the team with the highest placing „B” athlete because Hastings already has the „A” standard from last summer’s Olympic Games. Should neither women get the „A” or the „B,” Flanagan, Hastings and fifth place Kara Goucher (32:59.23) would make the team because she has the „B” standard already (she ran 31:46.64 at Stanford University last April). From RRW. In other two technical finals of the first senior day Andrea Geubelle won the triple 14.03 (+3.4, 13.72 +1.9) ahead of Toni Smith 13.93w and Amanda Smock 13.77w. No one from them has the B World standard of 14.20. In men triple Omar Craddock 17.15 +2.2, 16.59 +1.8) beat olympic medalist Will Claye 17.04w and Ryan Grinnell 17.02w. Christian Taylor has the wild card and Craddock and Claye have so far B standard. Brittany Borman won the javelin with 60.91 with Arvana Ince second 56.66 and Kara Patterson third 55.88. Only Borman has the B standard.

NELLUM AND WARINER OUT IN HEATS

DES MOINES (USA, Jun 20): In the qualification sections of first senior day seeing most of the pre-meet contenders advance. Among those to impress were Alberto Salazar-coached athletes Mary Cain (4:11.48), Treniere Moser (4:11.20), and IAAF World Championships bronze medalist Matthew Centrowitz (3:40.91). All achieved the fastest times of the day. Olympic 1500m silver medalist Leo Manzano was the victor in the second heat, timing a slow 3:47.31 in a kicker’s race. In the women’s 800m, Olympian Alysia MontaÅ„o and New Balance’s Brenda Martinez recorded the same exact time of 2:01.96 in separate heats. Duane Solomon was the fastest in men 800 m heats 1:46.39. In the 400 m heats Francena McCorory was the fastest with 51.38, Sanya Richards-Ross won her heat in 51.43. In men 400 m heats fastest in strong winds Tony McQuay 45.26. Out in heats sensationally Bryshon Nellum, Jeremy Wariner and also Greg Nixon and Angelo Taylor. Johnny Dutch topped the 400 m hurdles heats 49.46. Dentarius Locke and Jeff Demps had the smallest head-wind (-1.5) and achieved fastest 10.19 in 100 m heats. Favor
ites advanced (Tyson Gay 10.28, Justin Gatlin 10.37 and Mike Rodgers 10.35). Barbara Pierre topped the women 100 m heats in 11.18 (-1.9), Carmelita Jeter did not run as informed and from non-qualifiers to mention Barber sisters. Sharon Day leads the heptathlon 3908 (13.54-190-13.77-24.02) ahead of Bettie Wade 3656 and Chelsea Carrier-Eades 3604 (12.91+4.9 hurdles).

EUROPEAN TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

GATESHEAD (GBR): Russia is the title defender, but home Great Britain and also Germany including France are sending all their top athletes, while the Russians are saving best names for home World Championships. On the men side top issues French sprinters Jimmy Vicaut in the 100 m (against Dasaolu), Christophe Lemaitre in the 200 m. For the home side Mo Farah in the 5000 m (against Bezabeh and Tahri who runs also the 3000 m), Dai Greene in the 400 m hurdles, oly winner Greg Rutherford in the long jump (against Reif, Menkov and Caceres). Great throws in shot Storl vs. Majewski, discus Harting vs. Malachowski, double olympic winner Thorkildsen in javelin (vs. Tarabin and Avramenko), world indoor record holder Tamgho in triple, pole vault duel Filippidis vs. Otto. Shubenkov vs. Martinot-Lagarde in the 110 m hurdles and great 800 m field (Bosse, Osagie, Kszczot, Lopez). Turkish force with Ozbilen in the 800 m and 1500 m with Tarik Langat in steeple. Ukrainian sprinters should rule in women section (Povkh, Pyatachenko), Russian runners Zadorina 400 m (against Shakes-Drayton), Kotulskaya (800 m) and Sharmina (1500 m with England). British hurdles power (Porter, Child). In jumps favorites Saladuha (triple), Klishina (long with Proctor and Lesueur), Spiegelburg (pole with Bleasdale, Rogowska) and Beitia in high jump (against Stepaniuk and Kuchina). In throws shot favorite Schwanitz, discus Fischer and top duels Heidler vs Wlodarczyk in hammer and Obergfoll vs Abakumova in javelin.

DUBLIN (IRL): Morton Stadium will see in First League Czech Republic as top favorites with a series of potential winners (Maslak in the 200 m, Baba high jump, Kudlicka pole, Prasil shot, Vesely javelin, Hejnova flat 400, Skrobakova 100hurdles). Good chances also for Melich in hammer (but against oly winner Pars), Svobodova in pole vault and Rosolova at 400 m hurdles (against improved Morosanu). Dutch favorites Martina in the 100 m, Sedoc over the hurdles, for Sweden Torneus in long jump and Green in women high jump, for Estonia Kanter in discus, veterans duel in triple Evora vs. Oprea. 400 m will see the duel of Kevin Borlee with improved Irish runner Gregan. Bulgarian Lalova is women sprints top name, Heltne of Romania in shot and Portugal running strength (Augusto 3000, Felix 5000). Also thinking about promotion Netherlands, Romania and Sweden.

KAUNAS (LTU): Second League is having Slovenia and Croatia fighting with the home side for promotion. Croatia has olympic discus winner Sandra Perkovic, high jumper Simic and thrower Premeru. Slovenia offers hammer olympic winner Kozmus, javelin thrower Ratej, high jumper Prezelj and triple jumper Rodic. Lithuania has as favorites sprinters Sakalauskas and Grincikaite, 800 m runner Balciunaite, high jumper Stanys. Serbia has hurdler Bekric, shot putter Kolasinac and talented runner Terzic. Also Austria offers favorites Vojta in the 1500 m, Rowe in the 5000 m and hurdler Schrott.

BANSKA BYSTRICA (SVK): Slovak team as the host is the favorite with Veldakova twins in women jumps, hammer thrower Lomnicky, high jumper Horak, improved sprinter Zavacky. Great hammer women duel of Slovak Hrasnova and Marghieva of Moldova. Latvia with pole vaulter Arents, jumper Misans, javelin throwers Strobinders and Palameika, hammer thrower Sokolovs and versatile Ikauniece is another candidate for promotion. Montenegro has thrower Furtula and high jumper Vukovic, Iceland talented 800 m runner Hinriksdottir and javelin thrower Hjalmsdottir.

OTHER NEWS

KINGSTON (JAM): Olympic winner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will not run the 100 m at the Jamaican trials. Her name is not in the start lists of the short dash heats scheduled for Friday. In this event as Olympic winner she will be anyway selected by Jamaican federation. She is expected to run the 200 m.

DES MOINES (USA): Due to extreme headwinds, USA Track &
amp; Field will reverse direction of all sprint events at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships from Friday competition.

CORK (IRL): Ireland’s top female sprinters are confirmed starters for the 100m at the 62nd Cork City Sports scheduled for the C.I.T Athletic Stadium, Bishopstown on 2nd July. Amy Oster, Ailis McSweeney, Phil Healy, Niamh Whelan and Kelly Proper will oppose a very strong international field which will include World Junior champion, Jodie Williams from England and her team mate Asha Philip, Cleo VanBuren and Barbara Pierre head the U.S. challenge and current African champion Gloria Asumnu returns again to Cork for the short sprint.

ALBI (FRA): European indoor champion Leslie Dhjone plans return to the competition on June 29 in Albi.

PARIS (FRA): Olympic 10 000 m winner from 1992 Khalid Skah of Moroccan origin was arrested Wednesday at Orly airport. He is accused by Norway, country of his former wife, for domestic violence and threats against officials.

PARIS (FRA): Injured several years ago by a groin injury European decathlon champion Romain Barras decided to skip the summer season, and so also the World Championships. From L´Équipe.

RESULTS

MONCTON (CAN, Jun 20): First day of Canadian Championships saw 10 000 m winners: Mohammed Ahmed 29:22.04 and Natasha Fraser 33:21.43.

DES MOINES (USA, Jun 20): In the national junior championships Kendell Williams won the girls heptathlon 5481 (13.35w) and Wolf Mahler decathlon 7419. Hayden Reed got 62.84 in junior men discus. Sprints in headwind junior hurdles Tony Brown 13.69 (-3.5) and Sasha Wallace 13.84 (-4.2). In the 100 m Trayven Bromell 10.47 (-4.8) and Morelake Akinosun 11.64 (-4.4). Cameron Burrell was third in the 100 m 10.53.

HOUSTON (USA, Jun 20): Australian long jumper Fabrice Lapierre has leapt 825 cm at the Rice All-comers Meet in Texas to record an A-Qualifier for the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow. Jumping in Texas Lapierre reached the A standard exactly with a legal wind of +1.3. The New South Welshman also recorded a legal jump of 8.16m and a foul in his first three attempts in Texas before passing his final three jumps once he had reached the A standard. Informs Athletics Australia.

CORRECTION

Please accept apologies for mistakenly mentioning Caster Semenya in an item about Pamela Jelimo in the title. The story is about the Kenyan runner.