by Larry EderSalinas, California is home to the beloved Artichoke, among other things (well, Castroville is really, but follow me for a moment…). It is also home to Hartnell Junior College, which has some of the best cross country and track and field teams in the entire community college (101 campuses) network in California.
When I coached at Foothill, one of our favorite meets was the Ed Adams Invite, where then coach Gary Shaw would not only run a tremendous JC track meet, but also they would have a huge shot and discus competition where the elite athletes would get a number of cases of fresh vegetables based on their place, so first place got ten cases, second nine, third would get eight cases, and so on. Great winds there and Gerd Kanter of Estonia loved those winds on May 8!
EME NEWS (MAY 9, 2008)
DISCUS WORLD LEADS KANTER 71.88 AND TRAFTON 66.17
SALINAS (USA, May 8): World champion Gerd Kanter of Estonia is continuing in dominating his event. At discus meet in California at Hartnell Junior College he achieved new world leading 71.88 m. It was his jubilee 10th career competition over 70 meters and third best after 72.02 here last year and 73.38 in Helsingborg 2006. No other discus thrower achieved 70+ mark during this year. As Track and Field News website informs, only best throws were measured at this event. Kanter is scheduled to compete for first time in Europe in Turnov, Czech Republic on May 20 at Danek Memorial where he will for first time meet his main rival Olympic champion Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania. Other Estonian Mart Israel was second (65.03) beating former shot world champion John Godina (64.99, A-Olympic qualifier) into third. Four more throwers went over 64 meters: Australian Ben Harradine (64.95), Vikas Gowda of India (64.83) and US Casey Malone (64.56) with Brian Trainor (64.32, PB). For example Croatian Martin Maric improved to 62.15 and was overall 14th.
Also female winner Stephanie Trafton (28) used the favorable winds here to improve to 66.17 what is a new world leading mark and third on US all-time list. Second Indian Krishna Poonia improved to 63.74 and achieved Olympic A-qualifier. Sweden´s Anna Soderberg with 61.58 as third was the last over 60 m barrier.
GIRALT 17.30
CARACAS (VEN, May 8): World indoor silver holder Cuban David Giralt won the Iriarte Memorial Triple Jump in Venezuela at next South American Grand Prix Meeting achieving 17.30 (+1.8). Huge improvement for Shot Put Pan-Am Games bronze medallist Carlos Veliz of Cuba who achieved here 20.65 m. His previous best was 19.95 from this February. He came close to Cuban record 20.78 by Alexis Paumier in 2000. Arismendy Peguero of Dominican Republic clocked 46.08 at 400 m.
STRONGER WOMEN FIELD
PRAGUE (CZE): 14th Volkswagen Prague International Marathon is having the women title defender on Sunday competing. Russian Naylia Yulamanova is the Russian champion 2006 (best 2:30:54), also returning is the former champion here another Russian Alina Ivanova (2000 and 2006, best 2:25:34). In general the women field looks stronger with Kenyans Caroline Kwambai (second in 2006 here, best 2:28:47) and Emily Kimuria with 2:28:18 best. Course record of Italian Maura Viceconte (2:26:33 in 2001) will still be tough to beat. Strong male Kenyan contingent should dominate, so far nine wins for Kenyan men in the history of the event. Elijah Lagat has the course record with 2:08:52 from 1998. Top name is David Makori with the best time 2:08:49, but achieved back in 2001, last year he clocked 2:15:48 in Dubai. Simon Njoroge has 2:09:46 last year and also 2:11:34 in Marrakesh in January. Another Kenyan Elijah Sang with 2:10:13 was ninth at this years Paris Half-marathon. Group of international runners will compete with the aim to achieve Olympic qualification time. Brazilian Sirlene de Pinho and Nicole Klinger from Liechtenstein who is also a successful competitor in duathlon and triathlon. In the men category Russian Lenar Khusnutdinov, Australian Philip Sly and British Kassa Tadesse who has 2:15:09 from 2005 London Marathon.
ABEYLEGESSE TO INDIA
BANGALORE (IND): Turkish Osaka medalist at 10 000 m Elvan Abeylegesse plans her next race on May 18 in Bangalore, India at 10 km on road. The Sunfeast world 10 km race is offering 20 000 USD for male and female winners. Afterwards she will run the 5000 m for her club Enka Spor Kulubu at European Champion Clubs Cup in Portugal on May 24.
LAURYN WILLIAMS TO OPEN IN MODESTO
MODESTO (USA): 2005 World Champion Lauryn Williams will run her first open 100 m on Saturday at 67th California Invitational Relays in Modesto. One of the most classical US fixtures in May which registered 33 world records in the past will have also 100 m Hurdles world champion Michelle Perry competing. She will run both flat sprints 100 m and 200 m. US Pole Vault record holder Jenn Stuczynski will face the champion from past Stacy Dragila. Canadian World Indoor champion Tyler Christopher runs the 200 m, US Champion Khadevis Robinson his speciality the 800 m, Anwar Moore is the star of 110 m Hurdles and world indoor champion Christian Cantwell of Shot Put. US Indoor champion Mike Rodgers and relay world champion Leroy Dixon are the top names at 100 m and great field in men´s Pole Vault. Olympic winner Tim Mack against Nick Hysong, Toby Stevenson, Derek Miles, Jacob Pauli, Mexican record holder Giovanni Lanaro and best veteran on the planet Jeff Hartwig.
OTHER NEWS
MINNEAPOLIS (USA, May 8): Kenyans dominated the Medtronic TC 1 mile on the road. Josphat Kitii and second Haron Lagat clocked 4:09, third Jordan Fife 4:10. Kenyan Rose Kosgei was the winning woman in 4:37. For winners 4000 USD each.
LISBON (POR): Portugal Athletics Federation announced the Olympic marathon pre-selection. Into final considerations are coming two males (Helder Ornelas and Paulo Gomes) and four women (Ana Dias, Ines Monteiro, Marisa Barros and Leonor Carneiro). Final decision will be made until end of June. Until then the pre-selected athletes must confirm their shape at National 10 000 m championships on June 28.
DUBLIN (IRL): New international fixture in Ireland will be the Morton Memorial Meeting (www.mortonmemorial.com) to be held on Friday, 25th July. This inaugural meeting will commemorate the 1958 world mile record set by Herb Elliott in Dublin. The meeting is on the same night as the London Grand Prix in order to cater for athletes who may not get into that meeting as well as for athletes looking for a final competition before the Beijing Olympic Games.
CAMBRIDGE (CAN): The fifth annual Mercedes-Benz Classic Mile will be held once again at Cambridge’s Galt Collegiate Institute in Ontario, Canada, on Saturday June 14, and a brand new Mercedes B200 sedan awaits the winner of the men’s invitational heat should he break the four-minute barrier. Informs Race Results Weekly. That’s not as easy as it sounds because the track at Galt is made of crushed brick and is not nearly as fast as today’s synthetic surfaces. In 2005 Kenya’s Laban Rotich recorded 3:58.9 to win a car. The following year Rotich returned and held off Cambridge’s own Commonwealth 1500m silver medalist Nate Brannen. However since both men were timed in 4:09.1, no car was awarded. Last year Rotich brought along his younger brother, Shedrack Korir, and set the pace for him. Their tactics were successful and Korir recorded a new meet record of 3:56.05 to win the Mercedes.
MONTE CARLO: Latest doping case confirmed by IAAF is Dutch runner Khalid Choukoud (24) who is banned for two years until June 3, 2009. The athlete with 29:16.18 10 000 m best had positive out of competition test last June (stanozolol).
WEEKEND PREVIEW
IAAF Race Walking World Cup and Osaka Grand Prix are the main international fixtures. Also start of Combined Events challenge in Italy will be under observation along with Brazilian Area Permit meet in Uberlandia on Sunday. Main US fixture California Relays in Modesto on Saturday. The most important marathon is the Prague race. In many European countries national circuits are starting on the track (for example Montgeron in France, Pavia in Italy, Schwechat in Austria, Hoorn in Netherlands). Fifth Felix Sanchez Invitational which was planned for Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic on Saturday was canceled.
NOTE
Today we plan update and if necessary flash informations from Doha Meeting.
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