by Larry EderThe last day of the U.S. Olympic Trials has been crazy! Lo Lo Jones hurdled a fine 12.45 in the semi finals ( a personal best), with some of the finest hurdling that I have ever seen. Then, two great 200 meters, where Allyson Felix and Muna Lee go head to head, with Felix for the win and Marshevet Hooker leaping at the finish, getting her torso over the line before Lauryn Williams! Walter Dix did his thing, taking the 200 meters when all eyes were on Shawn Crawford and a surging Wallace Spearmon.
No one could beat Shannon Rowbury, who showed poise and a nifty 61 last lap to take the womens’ 1,500 meters with Erin Donahue and Christin Wurth Thomas following. Gabe Jennings tried to take the 1,500 meters, but his two flat 800 played into the hands of the kickers. Bernard Lagat, who tole ATF after the race that he was quite relaxed, took the race with Leonel Manzano and Lopez Lomong taking two and three. Kudos to William Leer of OTC who took fourth, catching a tired Alan Webb at the line.
The hurdle finals showed a tough David Oliver catching Terrance Trammell for the win and Lo Lo Jones, hurdling a remarkable race, hitting 12.29, wind aided for the best all time run by an American!
Finally, Jenn Stuczynski, who misses twice at her opening height of 4.60, then clears both 4.65 and 4.73 on her first and takes two to clear 4.92, a new American record of 16 feet, 1 1/4 inches.
While all of this was going on and Walter Davis lost his triple jump trip to Beijing on the last jump of the competition! This was the Hardest Team to Make, and it was also, with 170,000 plus fans over the eight days, a major success!
And to think, track & field was going on around the world!
EME NEWS (JULY 6, 2008)
GAY SHOULD BE READY FOR LONDON
EUGENE (USA): Triple world champion Tyson Gay underwent an MRI late Saturday afternoon at Slocum Center for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Eugene. The MRI showed a mild strain in the semitendinosus muscle. He is expected to engage in „active rest” for up to 12-14 days, with light physical activity increasing through that period, and then resume training. Tyson’s only confirmed pre-Olympic competition is the 100 meters at the Aviva London Grand Prix on July 25, and that is still on the schedule, informed his agent Mark Wetmore at USATF website.
NOGUCHI TO SWITZERLAND
TOKIO (JPN): Reigning Olympic winner in women marathon Mizuki Noguchi went off to Switzerland to have training camp in St. Moritz on July 4. She will train there until August 7. The other female Olympian for marathon Reiko Tosa came back from Kunming China on July 3. She will return to Kunming again in a week. According to her coach, Hideo Suzuki, Tosa is in the best shape of her life.
CURRENT RESULTS
KIPLAGAT AND BALDINI WINS
LONDON (GBR, July 6): World record holder Lornah Kiplagat of Netherlands won the 10 km London Run road race with 32:12. Silvia Kibet was second (32:41) and reigning marathon world champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya third (33:33). Italian Olympic champion Stefano Baldini was the best man after 30:06. Both winners were crossing the finish-line with the 1948 Olympics torch.
WORLD LEAD FOR PISHCHALNIKOVA
TULA (RUS, July 6): European Champion Darya Pishchalnikova achieved world leading discus mark 67.28 at Russian Cup meet in Tula. She backed that in her series also with 66.32. Second Svetlana Saykina improved to 63.42. Bogdan Pishchalnikov (the brother) won the male discus with Olympic qualifier 64.82 m. Former European Indoor Champion Anna Chicherova went over 201 in High Jump and Olympic medalist Irina Simagina achieved 691 in Long Jump. Another Athens 2004 medalist Danilo Burkenya registered 17.18 in Triple Jump. Yelena Zadorozhnaya clocked 9:39.92 in steeple. Aleksandr Shustov with 230 beat on count-back European champion Andrey Silnov (230). Good triple jump depth for women as Viktoriya Gurova got 14.50, Oksana Bufalova 14.48 and Anna Pyatykh 14.46. Ildar Minshin improved in men steeple to good 8:21.16.
JAPAN TEAM ADDITIONS
HAKODATE (JPN, July 6): At 21st Nambu meet Nobuharu Asahara clocked 10.36 (+1.5) to win the 100 m. Yoshihiro Horigome was added to Olympic relay after his 46.25 400 m win. Fast 13.64 for Tasuku Tanonaka at 110 m Hurdles (+0.5). Naoyuki Daigo went over 221 in High Jump and also got Olympic confirmation. In the women events Chisato Fukushima won the 100 m in 11.49 (+1.9) and was selected for Beijing. Finally Long jump record holder Kumiko Ikeda got 670 (0.0) also enough to qualify for Olympics.
KURTHY THE BEST
VESZPREM (HUN, July 6): The best result during second day of Balaton Championships was 19.49 m in Shot Put by Lajos Kurthy.
OKPARAEBO ATTACKED NORWEGIAN RECORD
SUNDSVALL (SWE, July 6): Johan Wissman clocked windy 20.47 (+2.5) at 200 m during sprinters meeting. US Fred Townsend beat with 13.63 (+0.5) at 110 m Hurdles home number one Robert Kronberg (13.69, he was then faster in other heat 13.68 +0.3). European junior champion 2007 Ezinne Okparaebo of Norway improved at 100 m to 11.42 (+1.0) and missed the national record only by 0.01.
PITKAMÄKI BEATEN BY MAKAROV
KUORTANE (FIN, July 6): At Elite Circuit meeting in Kuortane a rare home defeat for world champion Tero Pitkamäki in javelin. Russian former world champion Sergey Makarov was better with season best 86.88, the finnish star got 85.81. Discus thrower Frants Kruger improved his season best to 65.39 m. Long Jump record holder Tommi Evila registered good 795 win. Vesa Rantanen went over 555 in Pole Vault and Jamaican guest Ricardo Williams was the fastest with 10.50 and 21.04. US Alexis Joyce won the women 100 m (11.48, +0.5) and Mikaela Ingberg got 58.19 in javelin.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
GERMANY
NURNBERG (GER, July 5): On the second day of the German national championships in Nurnberg, Simon Kirch clocked a new PB and German season’s best in the 400m men’s final with 45,57s and thus made sure he got a place in the 4x400m relay. Bastian Swillims was not able to defend his title with 45,71s but he is quite sure to be in the relay team, too. Robin Schembera ran the 800m final with a lot of anger because in the heats the day before neither he nor Rene Herms had managed to run the qualification standard of 1:45,50min. The 20-year-old got his first national title in 1:51,47min, Herms arrived after 1:51,65min. Charles Friedeck was lucky – he won the title with his last attempt of 16,56m – and unlucky concerning the result because he was far away from the standard of 17,00m. In the men’s high jump, 2,23m were enough to win the title for Raul Spank. Eike Onnen had given up after two invalid attempts at 2,23m due to an injury. European champion Ralf Bartels showed in the men’s shot put competition with 20,60m that his shape is improving. Peter Sack came second with 20,41m. The javelin event had a surprise winner with Tino Haber and his 80,15m. Peter Esenwein was the only favorite who got a place on the podium with 77,22m. The Olympics will take place without a German hammer thrower because Markus Esser won his title with only 76,75m which is far away from the qualification standard of 78,50m. Claudia Hoffmann dominated the 400m flat final and won her forth title in a row in 52,15s. Florence Ekpo-Umoh (52,32s), Sorina Nwachukwu (52,64s) and Janina Lindenberg (52,98s) managed sub-53s-times and recommended themselves for the relay. In the hurdles final, Jonna Tilgner clocked a new PB of 55,73s and is also sure to be in the relay team. German record holder and former 1.500m runner Antje Moeldner had a safe run to the 3.000m steeple title in 9:50,05min. With an absent Bianca Kappler who injured her Achilles’ tendon during the warming-up, Sophie Krauel won the gold in the women’s long jump with 6,40m. Carolin Hingst, Anastasija Reiberger and Silke Spiegelburg were the lucky pole vaulters who jumped on the podium and will travel to Bejing. Experienced Carolin Hingst cleared 4,55m and thus won her second open air title. Places two and three were reached with 4,50m.
SLOVAKIA
NITRA (SVK, July 6): Second day of Slovak Championships did not brought any new Olympic qualifiers. Shot Putter Milan Haborak achieved 19.92 to win his ninth title. Second Daniel Vanek came close to his PB with 19.43. Jana Veldakova after traveling from Madrid in the morning won also her ninth title in long jump with 643 cm. After the championships Slovak Athletics Federation decided to propose to National Olympic Committee 17 names for Beijing consideration.
POLAND
SZCZECIN (POL, July 6): World junior champion 2006 Artur Noga highlighted the third day of 84th Polish Championships with new best and 110 m Hurdles win 13.47 (+0.2). For European level solid steeple as Tomasz Szymkowiak achieved 8:25.72 and Marcin Chabowski 8:25.90 (PB). 800 m runners ruled at 1500 m as Marcin Lewandowski won over Pawel Czapiewski (3:44.94 – 3:44.96). Marcin Jedrusinski won the 200 m in 20.84 (+1.0) beating national record holder Marcin Urbas (20.95). In technical events favorite wins for Szymon Ziolkowski in hammer throw (77.66, 11th title) and Piotr Malachowski in discus (65.29, second Konrad Szuster improved to 62.34). More was expected in High Jump as Grzegorz Sposob beat Michal Bieniek (222-218). Przemyslaw Czerwinski was the best in Pole Vault (560). Best women result the 12.91 (+1.2) of Aurelia Trywianska at 100 m Hurdles. Sylwia Ejdys won tactical 1500 m (4:15.56), Katarzyna Kowalska was best in steeple (9:53.93) and Joanna Wisniewska in discus (61.26). Osaka 400 m Hurdles medalist Anna Jesien was running the 200 m and was fifth (24.18, winner Ewelina Klocek 23.38).
NETHERLANDS
AMSTERDAM (NED, July 6): European leader of the year Simon Vroemen won his event the steeple during second day of Netherlands Championships with 8:26.12. In Olympic stadium Patrik Van Luijk achieved sprint double (10.44 -2.2 and 20.76 -1.5) in negative wind conditions. Marcel Van der Westen won the hurdles sprint in 13.52(+0.4) beating Gregory Sedoc (13.60). Thomas Kortbeek clocked solid 50.16 at 400 m Hurdles. Rutger Smith registered excellent 20.80 to win the Shot Put (also 20.76 in series) and world champion 2005 Rens Blom achieved his title in Pole Vault with 547 cm. Marjolein de Jong clocked the best female result with 55.86 at 400 m Hurdles.
BELGIUM
NAIMETTE-XHOVEMONT (BEL, July 6): European Champion Tia Hellebaut won Belgian title in Long Jump (622, +0.8) as she was not competing in her event the High Jump. Foreign winners in absence of Kim Gevaert in sprints, Myriam Mani of Cameroon clocked 11.75 (-1.4) and Makalese Batimala (Fiji) 23.44 (-0.4) at 200 m. Elisabeth Davin improved at 100 m Hurdles to 13.09 (+0.9) and second Andrea Miller of New Zealand came close to her national record (13.13) with 13.15 second place. Two best male results for sprinters – Erik Wijmeersch clocked 10.44 (-0.7) at 100 m and Adrian Deghelt 13.79 (+0.3) at 110 m Hurdles.
ROMANIA
BUCURESTI (ROM, July 6): Ancuta Bobocel improved in women steeple with 9:30.07 at national championships beating national record holder Cristina Casandra (9:35.60). She also later won the 800 m in 2:02.72. Great shape also by former European Champion Ionela Tirlea as she won the 400 m hurdles (55.86) and 200 m (22.82, 0.0). Ancuta Heltne registered 18.04 in Shot Put. Fast sprints by Catalin Cimpeanu with 10.28 and 20.89 (both races 0.0). Old-timer Bogdan Tudor won the Long Jump (790, +0.7).
JUNIOR CORNER
LJUBLJANA (SLO): Matic Molicnik, who improved on 10.66 at 100m this year, will be one of the athletes of the Slovenian team representing at the 12th World Junior Championships in Polish Bydgoszcz starting next week. Among 9 women, Maja Mihelinec will be the next 100m sprinter as she ran 11.71 this year and third from the WYC Ostrava 2007, Maja BratkiÄ will try Triple Jump with a PB of 13.18m (2007). The Slovenian Athletics Association (ASZ) also named women’s 4x100m squad for Bydgoszcz.
OSAKA (JPN): From 27 Japanese athletes 7 women will be representing the country at the 12th World Junior Championships next week. National champion Asuka Terada will be the only athlete doing two events – 100m (PB 11.71) and 100m Hurdles (PB 13.39). 800 m will be the event of Ruriko Kubo, who was able to run 2:04.44 already in 2006. On the men’s side, Hiroki Sasase is the hope for Pole Vault (PB 5.41m), and only 17-year-old Akinobu Murasawa for 5000m with a PB 13:58.72, also as Ryuji Kashiwabara in 10.000m with PB 28:44.42 (2008).
KYIV (UKR): The Ukrainian team for the 12th World Junior Championships will be led by the junior world record holder in discus (1.750 – 70.13 m, Halle), Mykyta Nesterenko and javelin thrower Vira Rebryk with a European record very close to the junior WR – (62.93 m, 2003). Among 18 men next 3 national recorders are named – Seheda Stanislav in the Shot Put (PB 19.95 – 6kg), Andriy Martynyuk in the Hammer Throw (75.46m – 6kg) and finally a decathlete Mark Tymchenko (7242 pts). The Ukrainian medallists form the World youth championships in Ostrava 2007 are also on the starting list: gold Yuliya Baraley will run 400m (PB 52.40) and bronze Dmytro Savickiy will try Shot Put (PB 19.05). The bronze medalist from the 11th IAAF World Junior Championships in Beijing, Bohdan Bondarenko, is also in the team as his PB is 2.26m and this year he has already managed to jump over 2.25. Serhiy Tsybulka, who is also a solid High Jumper (PB 2.15) will represent in the men´s Pole Vault (PB 5.10m). Also the finalist from World Junior Championships 2006, Sheryf El-Sheryf, will represent in both Long Jump (7.82 – indoors) and Triple Jump (16.60m – indoors). Silver medalist from the 20th European Junior Championships in Hengelo 2007, Hanna Knyazeva, can be one of the leading names as she has a PB of 13.85m.
NAIROBI (KEN): 22 Kenyan runners will try to get medal at the World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz next week and the team is led by the World junior cross country bronze medallist Mathew Kisorio. The gold 800m medalist from the World Youth Championships 2007, Geoffrey Kibet, is also in the squad (PB 1:47.1). Titus Mbishai (PB 8:18.3), the 5th from 36th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Edinburgh, will start at 10.000m together with Josphat Bett. 8:29.1 is the PB achieved by Patrick Terer who will compete at 3000m Steeplechase together with Jonathan Muia. A silver medalist at 800m from the last World Junior Championships in Beijing 2006, Winny Chebet (PB
2:04.10), will be the leader of the group of 10 Kenyan women. The next gold medalist from the World Youth Championships in Ostrava 2007, Mercy Cherono, will fight for a medal at women’s 3000m (PB 8:53.94). The top juniors prefer senior competitions (Jelimo, Masai, etc.).
BYDGOSZCZ (POL): After 30 hours of traveling the Australian team of 11 men and 17 women arrived in Poland for the 12th World Junior Championships in the city of Bydgoszcz. 18-year old Vicky Parnov, who was clearly first at the World Youth Championships in Ostrava last year and got bronze from WJC in Beijing 2006, is the greatest medal hope of the Australian team. The young Pole Vaulter with a PB 4.40m has already an experience from the senior World Championships in Osaka last year. The next young athlete with Osaka experience is 400m runner Kurt Mulcahy. He will represent at both 400m (PB 46.03) and 200m (PB 21.07). Adam Bevis, the bronze medalist in the Octathlon at WYC Ostrava 2007, will try Decathlon with a PB 7117 points. The Ostrava´s silver medal winner in Javelin, Hamish Peacock, comes with a solid PB of 71.36m. The 10k Race Walker Jessica Rothwell is also expected to challenge the rest of the field as she was already 5th in the junior race at the World Race Walking Cup in Cheboskary (PB 48:03.62). The next possible final placement can be expected from Kimberley Mulhall (shot put – 14.94m and discus – 51.69m), Ryan Gregson (1500m – 3:43.84), James Kaan (800m – 1:47.62), and Lomana Fagatuai (shot put – 14.89m and discus – 50m).
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