by Larry Eder
PALO ALTO (USA, Apr 4): Dutch running talent and last year European junior champion Jip Vastenburg won the women 10 000 m in her debut at the distance at Stanford Invitational with good 32:11.90. She was followed by another European Briton Elinor Kirk 32:17.05 PB and third Canadian Lani Marchant 32:29.61 PB. Fast 5000 m by US Marielle Hall 15:19.26 ahead of Alisha Williams 15:19.79 and Laura Thweatt 15:23.43 PB with Briton Kate Avery fourth 15:27.90 PB. Another solid women distance time in steeple, 9:48.17 by Briton Lennie Waite ahead of Rachel Johnson huge PB 9:49.31. Men 10 000 m was not that fast with Jason Witt 28:36.64 PB, but the depth was there, Edward Cheserek was 21st in 28:51.97 also PB. From shorter races to mention Jamaican Kemarley Brown 10.22 (+1.7) life-time best in the 100 m, Patrick Feeney 45.56 ahead of Christopher Giesting 45.62, for both personal bests in the 400 m and Kevin Craddock 13.78 (0.0) in the hurdles.
Dukes sub 20 in the 200 m
GAINESVILLE (USA, Apr 4): Florida Relays brought unexpectedly fast sprints. Specially US NCAA Champion Dedric Dukes surprised with world leading 19.97 (-0.6) over the 200 m. In his race second Canadian Aaron Brown close to national record 20.19 (20.17 by Atlee Mahorn from 1991) and Arman Hall 20.46. In another race Brandon Byrum 20.27 (-0.1). Superb sprinting shape was presented by 400 m specialist Jo Atkins with huge personal bests and world leads 11.09 (+1.2) and 22.27 (+1.3). In the 100 m British junior Desiree Henry improved hugely behind her to 11.23 with Candycen Grone 11.26 and another Briton Jodie Williams 11.30. In another race Shayla Sanders 11.29 (+0.5). In the 200 m second Williams 22.91 ahead of experienced Jamaican Simone Facey 22.97. In other races fast times by Dezerea Bryant 22.84 (-1.6) and 22.78 (-0.6). Triple jump olympic winner Christian Taylor nearly improved his 400 m PB with very solid 45.37 ahead of Brazilian World finalist Anderson Henriques 45.46 and Briton Michael Bingham 45.49. Even faster in another race relay world champion Arman Hall 45.19. In the 100 m surprisingly fastest was 400 m world medalist Tony McQuay 10.13 (+2.4), fresh World junior record co-holder Trayvon Bromell won his race in legal 10.16 (-0.1) ahead of Aaron Brown 10.24. But the same time also for Briton James Ellington in another race 10.16 PB (+1.0) with Harry Aikines-Aryeetey second 10.17 and third European champion Churandy Martina 10.25. Another world lead of the day for Jamaican Roxroy Cato 48.67 at 400 m hurdles beating Jeffery Gibson of Bahamas 48.95 national record. Ryan Brathwaite clocked windy 13.45 (+2.8) over the hurdles and Sean Obinwa 1:46.68 in the 800 m. On the women side to add fast hurdles 12.91 (+0.7) by Jackie Coward ahead of Tenaya Jones 12.93 and even faster 12.90 (+1.9) by Bridgette Owens ahead of Tiffany McReynolds 12.98 in another race. Morgan Uceny won the women 800 m in 2:04.40.
RIO MAIOR (POR, Apr 5): Portugal women win was the highlight of the 23rd edition of Grande Premio de Rio Maior in walking (EA Permit and part of IAAF Walking Challenge). Vera Santos won the 20 km in 1:31:14 over Erica Sena of Brazil 1:31:22 and another home walker Ines Henriques 1:32:03. Santos won this event already in 2010 and with the win qualified for the European Championships in Zurich. Already qualified is Ana Cabecinha who gave up at 11th km due to a hernia problem. Also not finished was veteran Susana Feitor. But in men 20 km Brazil got the win by Caio Bonfirm with 1:23:15. He was followed by home best walkers Joao Vieira 1:23:20 and Sergio Vieira 1:24:15. Chinese won the junior 10 km races Zhao Jianguo 44:09 and Xiao Xianghua 49:04 among girls.
MELBOURNE (AUS, Apr 5): Day three of the 92nd Australian Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games Selection Trials has delivered blustery conditions and intermittent sunshine. In terms of results. Sally Pearson won her 12th national crown, the 100 m in 11.70 against -4.1 headwind. Kim Mickle’s best mark of 64.28 came in the fifth round of javelin and it ensured a sixth consecutive national title for the new Australian javelin record holder. Delivering arguably the highlight of the Nationals so far, Josh Ralph (1:46.57) reigned supreme over Alex Rowe (1:46.68) and Jeff Riseley (1:47.11) in the men’s 800 m. In the men’s 110m hurdles, the IAAF World Junior Championships silver medallist Nicholas Hough clocked 14.12 (-2.9) to add an open national title to his multiple gold medals from the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in recent years and secure his nomination for Glasgow 2014. He will be joined on the entry list in Glasgow by Morgan Mitchell in the women’s 400m, after she ran a huge personal best of 52.22 to take out the one-lap race in her first Commonwealth Games B-Qualifier. Competing in the women’s 1500m, Zoe Buckman will also be nominated for the Commonwealth Games after she won the metric mile in a time of 4:10.86. Victoria Mitchell won the steeple in 9:42.01 world lead, London 2012 finalist Ben Harradine sent the discus out to a 62.23. Also to note Tim Leathert getting the 100 m title in 10.56 against -1.2 wind. Steven Solomon high quality 45.36 in the 400 m over Craig Burns 46.23. Collis Birmingham won the 5000 m 13:44.55 and Briton Philips Idowu the triple jump 16.71 (+2.4).
SANTA BARBARA (USA, Apr 4): At Sam Adams meet combined eventers tested their shape. World champion Ashton Eaton clocked 10.43 (+1.7) in the 100 m and excellent 45.86 in the 400 m. His wife Brianne Theisen-Eaton got 13.29 (+0.3) over the hurdles and 13.92 PB in the shot put. Canadian Damian Warner achieved 762 (+1.7) in the long jump and 47.86 in the 400 m. Jesse Williams cleared 226 in the high jump, Gunnar Nixon got 15.03 in the shot put. From French guests Gael Querin completed full first day with 3909 points and Antoinetta Nana Djimou 169 in the high jump and 14.48 in the shot put. Canadian Jessica Zelinka cleared 157 in the high jump and got 14.06 in the shot put. Heptathlon overnight leader Barbara Nwaba scored good 3718 points (13.77-178-13.83-24.10 PB).
TAMPA (USA, Apr 4): Bahamian Adrian Griffith won the 100 m at the USF Collegiate with 10.37 (0.0).
AKRON (USA, Apr 4): Another interesting 100 m by Wayne Gordon windy 10.22 (+3.3) at Northeast Ohio Invitational.
PALO ALTO (USA, Apr 4): Dutch running talent and last year European junior champion Jip Vastenburg won the women 10 000 m in her debut at the distance at Stanford Invitational with good 32:11.90. She was followed by another European Briton Elinor Kirk 32:17.05 PB and third Canadian Lani Marchant 32:29.61 PB. Fast 5000 m by US Marielle Hall 15:19.26 ahead of Alisha Williams 15:19.79 and Laura Thweatt 15:23.43 PB with Briton Kate Avery fourth 15:27.90 PB. Another solid women distance time in steeple, 9:48.17 by Briton Lennie Waite ahead of Rachel Johnson huge PB 9:49.31. Men 10 000 m was not that fast with Jason Witt 28:36.64 PB, but the depth was there, Edward Cheserek was 21st in 28:51.97 also PB. From shorter races to mention Jamaican Kemarley Brown 10.22 (+1.7) life-time best in the 100 m, Patrick Feeney 45.56 ahead of Christopher Giesting 45.62, for both personal bests in the 400 m and Kevin Craddock 13.78 (0.0) in the hurdles.
BATON ROUGE (USA, Apr 4): At Pelican Relays Devin Jenkins achieved 10.30 (+0.1) to win the 100 m.
MONTEVIDEO (URU, Apr 4): At the South American GP meet Brazilian Tiago da Silva won the long jump with 791 (+1.2) ahead of Daniel Pineda of Chile 787 and home record holder Emiliano Lasa 779. Another home star Andres Silva won the 400 m hurdles in 50.92.
KINGSTON (JAM, Apr 4): First day of 53rd Intercol Track & Field and Cheerleading Championships at the University of the West Indies Usain Bolt Track registered some fine performances. Andrew Fisher dominated a quality field to post a personal best of 10.11 in the 100 m ahead of Everton Clarke 10.30 and Jason Young in 10.31. Talented Delano Williams was fourth in 10.40. Elaine Thompson of UTech won the women’s 100m in 11.49. In the women 400 m hurdles Rushell Clayton set a new Intercol record of 56.41 to finish ahead of Janieve Russell who also went under the previous record with 56.50. In the field, the men’s discus took center stage with current World Leader Fredrick Dacres of UWI continued his impressive form, throwing a winning mark of 61.71.
KUMAMOTO (JPN, Apr 5): At Kanaguri Memorial James Mwangi won the 5000 m in world leading 13:25.56. Best in women 5000 m another Kenyan Susan Wairimu 15:50.72.
CHONGQING (CHN, Apr 4): At Chinese youth championships good quality boys throws. With 1.5 discus Zhang Xiangnan 65.52 and with 700 g javelinb Xiang Jianbo 76.98.
LA CORUNA (ESP, Apr 5): In the 6th edition of the 10 km road race in Padron (La Coruna region) the Spanish titles at the distance went to Alemayehu Bezabeh in 29:37 and Paula Gonzalez with 34:01. Other medals for Alejandro Fernandez 29:56 and Javier Garcia 30:19, on the women side Veronica Perez 34:07 and Alba Garcia 34:21.
BILBAO (ESP, Apr 5): In the 9th Milla Bilbao Kirolak wins for Manuel Olmedo and Blanca Fernandez in 4:30 and 5:04. Second Victor Garcia and third Antonio Abadia 4:31 with fourth Ugandan Dickson Huru 4:33. Second best woman Isabel Macias 5:05 with Lidia Rodriguez also 5:05 as third. Africans were beaten here with Trihas Gebre fourth 5:06 and Nancy Cheptegei fifth 5:08.
