EME News: National Indoor Championships (February 18)

Marcin Lewandowski, European Indoors 2015, photo by PhotoRun.net

Special thanks to Alfons Juck and his EME News service. EME News service provides us the updates on national championships around Europe. His daily newsletter is a must for the true track geel. To get his special sub offer, please email: ajuck@rainside.sk.This is especially important as we build towards the 2017 European Indoor Championships, in Belgrade, Serbia, on March 3-5.

I met Marcin Lewandowski on our way to Hengelo in either 2011 or 2012. We shared a drive to the FBK Hengelo meeting, one of my favorite fixturs of the year. Marcin is one of the fine Polish middle distance runners. I look forward to seeing him at the European Indoors.

NATIONAL INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (Feb 18)

LEIPZIG (GER):Pamela Dutkiewicz moved to second on the 2017 world rankings with a breakthrough 7.79 PB to win the 60m hurdles title at the German Indoor Championships ahead of Cindy Roleder (7.84 PB) and Ricarda Lobe (7.99). European U20 200m champion Gina Luckenkemper clocked a 7.15 PB in the 60m heats before winning the final in 7.14, leading three other sprinters under the 7.2-mark: Rebekka Haase (7.16), Lisa Mayer (7.18) and Alexandra Burghardt (7.19). Reigning champion Tatjana Pinto was a DNS in the final after opening her season with 7.20 in the heats. Michael Bryan (6.67) and Erik Balnuweit (7.62) won the men’s 60m and 60m hurdles respectively. European champions David Storl (20.98m) and Christina Schwanitz (18.50m) won the shot put titles with world U20 champion Alina Kenzel finishing second with 17.28m Lisa Ryzih cleared 4.65m in the pole vault before attempting 4.78m while Jenny Elbe won the triple jump with a season’s best of 14.07. Julian Howard won the long jump 782.

MOGILYOV (BLR): During first day of Belarussian indoor championships Viktoryia Rashchupkina clocked 45:26.82 PB to win women 10 000 m race walk. Aliaksandr Liakhovich finished first in men race 39:40.97. Violetta Skvartsova (still 18) improved national indoor junior record in women triple jump 13.69m, but was second behind Iryna Vaskouskaya 13.94m. Aliona Dubitskaya won in women shot put with 18.00m ahead of Yuliya Leantsiuk 17.92 and Viktoryia Kolb 17.40. In men field Alyaksey Nichypar (19.97m) beat Mikhail Abramchuk (19.77). Krystsina Tsimanouskaya clocked 7.21 PB in women 60m final. Nina Savina finished first over 3000m with 9:09.41 ahead of Nastassia Ivanova 9:10.93 and Sviatlana Kudzelich 9:12.08. Darya Borysevich won women 800m with 2:03.73. Pavel Seliverstau 225 and Maryia Zhodzik 189 topped high jump events. Iryna Yakaltsevich cleared 4.35m in pole vault.

SUMY (UKR): During second day of Ukrainian indoor championships Oksana Okunyeva cleared 194 in high jump over Yuliya Chumachenko and Yuliya Levchenko (both 189). Olesya Povkh sprinted 60 m with 7.15 and Volodymyr Suprun 6.75 equaled his PB. Anna Plotitsyna clocked 8.03 over 60m hurdles. Vitaliy Butrym (47.53) finished first in men 400m final ahead of Yevhen Hutsol (47.58). In women event Olha Bibik clocked 53.09 PB. Maryna Bekh 6.64m and Serhiy Nykyforov 7.86m topped long jump competitions. Vasyl Ivanytskyy scored 5820 PB in men heptathlon. Olha Saladukha leaped to 13.96m in women triple jump qualification.

SALAMANCA (ESP): Orlando Ortega won his first Spanish indoor title at 60 m hurdles in 7.61 after faster 7.52 in heats. Eusebio Caceres leaped to 798 in long jump and Carlos Tobalina got 20.32 in shot put ahead of European medalist Borja Vivas 19.92. Adel Mechaal won tactical 3000 m in 8:19.57, on the women side Blanca Fernandez 9:09.48. Juliet Itoya leaped to 651 in women long jump indoor PB at age of 30. Fast 400 m heats 46.23 by Lucas Bua and 46.61 by Darwin Echeverry.

BORDEAUX (FRA): Christophe Lemaitre was clear 60 m winner at French Champs with 6.60. Congo´s Olympic fourth placer Frank Elemba improved national indoor record to 20.80 ahead of Frederic Dagee 19.66. Kafetien Gomis won the long jump 784. Floriane Gnafoua was the surprise 60 m winner in life-time best 7.21 clearly over Stella Akakpo 7.33. Even faster 7.14 by Ivory Coast guest Marie-Josee Ta Lou in the heats. Sandra Sogoyu was the best in the hurdles 8.15 ahead of Laura Valette also 8.15 and heptathlon star Antoinette Nana Djimou 8.22. Djimou was also third in shot put 15.17, winner Jessica Cerival 17.62. Young Swede Lisa Gunnarsson won pole vault with 445.

TORUN (POL): World record in the U20 category Ewa Swoboda gets faster. During first day of Polish Champs she clocked 7.15 to win the 60 m. Klaudia Siciarz won the 60 m hurdles in World U20 indoor record 8.00 with Karolina Koleczek second 8.06. Czech guest Romana Malacova was the best in pole vault 450, Paulina Guba 17.99 won the shot put. Remigiusz Olszewski won men 60 m 6.69, Sylwester Bednarek high jump 225 and Marcin Lewandowski tactical 1500 m in 3:49.11. Good times in 400 m heats, Rafal Omelko 46.61 and on the women side Iga Baumgart 52.35, Justyna Swiety 52.30, Patrycja Wyciskiewicz 52.51 and Malgorzata Holub 52.80.

ANCONA (ITA): Top event during Italian Champs was men long jump. Lamont Jacobs won with 806 (2nd best in the World 2017) ahead of Filippo Randazzo 805 PB, former European Champion Andrew Howe 801. Also fourth Kevin Ojiaku 793 and fifth Stefano Tremigliozzi 783. World leading 3000 m walk 12:08.83 by Antonella Palmisano ahead of Valentina Trapletti 12:45.74. Hassane Fofana won men hurdles in 7.73, Laura Stratti women long jump 659. Francesco Fortunato was best in men 5000 m walk 18:59.06.

PIREÁS (GRE): Two athletes sealed tickets for Beograd during the 1st day of the national championships. The first was in the men’s shot put, where Mihaíl Stamatóyiannis achieved in last throw 20.22, beating Nikólaos Skarvélis (19.12). The second was in the women’s 60m, where María Belibasáki, in her first ever indoor competition at the event, clocked exactly the standard 7.30. Second was Grigoría-Emmanouéla Keramidá 7.33, but missed the standard in heat (7.31). The men’s race was won by Panayiótis Trivizás in 6.71. Háido Alexoúli landed twice at 6.46 in the long jump. In walking events Aléxandros Papamihaíl won the 5000 m in 19:12.98 and Panayióta Tsinopoúlou the women’s 3000 m in 13:14.90.

ABBOTSTOWN (IRL): Ciara Mageean won a quality women’s 3000 m in 9:08.83 and there were two new Irish records on the first day of an engaging Irish Life Health National Indoor Championships in the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena. Alex Wright broke race walking legend Robert Heffernan’s 5000 m record to win gold in 18:50.70 while Sharlene Mawdsley broke the national junior 200m record to win her heat in 23.85.

KULDIGA (LAT): From Latvian Championships to report Mareks Arents 520 in pole vault and fresh from 800 m PB in Athlone Liga Velvere won the 400 m in 54.42.

BUCURESTI (ROU): Good triple jumping at Romanian Champs as Elena Panturoiu leaped to 14.12 ahead of Cristina Bujin 13.86. Ancuta Bobocel won tactical 1500 m in 4:23.01. 400 m hurdler Angela Morosanu topped women 60 m in 7.49, on the men side Petre Rezmives 6.69. World indoor medalist Andrei Gag won the shot put 19.39.

SKIVE (DEN): European 400 m hurdles champion Sara Petersen won the 200 m at Danish Champs in 24.06. In men hurdles Andreas Martinsen 7.78.

MAGGLINGEN (SUI): Fast 60 m winners at Swiss Champs with Mujinga Kambundji 7.18 and Pascal Mancini 6.67. Selina Buchel won 400 m heat in 54.50 and Dominik Alberto cleared 553 in the pole vault. Good quality in long jump as Christopher Ullmann with 788 beat Benjamin Gföhler 781.

JYVASKYLA (FIN): Simo Lipsanen confirmed his top shape with 16.71 triple jump win at Finnish Championships. Otto Ahlfors won the 60 m in 6.77 and young talent Safa Andersson (16) pole vault 423 PB.

TALLINN (EST): Ksenija Balta with 7.33 in the 60 m registered the top mark at Estonian Championships. Men 60 m winner Kaspar Meilsa clocked 6.82.

KLAIPEDA (LTU): Best result of final day of Lithuanian Champs was the 3000 m walk 12:56.68 by Zivile Vaiciukeviciuté 12.56.68.

VIENNA (AUT): Markus Fuchs improved in 60 m to 6.69 at Austrian Champs, in heats he equaled already his best 6.71. Carina Polzl won the women 200 m in good 23.74 and Julian Kellerer was the best in triple jump 16.30.

CELJE (SLO): From one day Slovenian Championships to report Tina Sutej 442 in the pole vault and Enej Vrhunec 6.77 in men 60 m.

RIJEKA (CRO): Also Croatia staged their Championships during one day, Ana Simic cleared 190 in high jump, Dino Pervan 774 in long jump and Martina Files 401, national record in pole vault.

BRATISLAVA (SVK): Jan Volko equaled his U23 national record and PB with 6.67 win in the 60 m at Slovak Champs. In good high jump duel Lukas Beer cleared 226 over Matus Bubenik 224. Jana Veldakova won her 12th indoor long jump title with 630.

BUDAPEST (HUN): At Hungarian Championships Tamas Kazi continued in top marks as he clocked new 1500 m PB 3:40.05. In the 60 m Janos Sipos 6.71 over talent Dominik Illovszky (born 2002) 6.86 national indoor mark for U16 category.

GENT (BEL): One day Belgian Championships star was Olympic winner Nafi Thiam with two personal bests in the 60 m hurdles 8.38 in heats and 8.37 in finals. She also cleared 190 to win the high jump. Dario De Borger won men hurdles 7.81 and Arnaud Art went over 550 in the pole vault.

REYKJAVIK (ISL): Iceland´s 60 m champions were Birna Kristjansdottir 7.88 among women and Ari Bragi Karlsson among men 7.00.