by Larry Eder
Dayron Robles will be opening his season in Lieven tomorrow. Details below!
(Photo courtesy of Photorun.net)
EME NEWS (FEB 9, 2009)
ROBLES OK
LIEVIN (FRA): The management of Cuban world record holder and olympic winner Dayron Robles confirmed that he will have his season opening on Tuesday in Lievin, France. The best in the world postponed his season debut due to slight injury. The other highlight of the meet which is returning after reconstruction of the hall will be men´s mile (last time held in 2006). In the rich history 8 world indoor records have been broken in the hall in the past. This year it will be the 20th edition. In the mentioned mile world champion Bernard Lagat, European champion Mehdi Baala and world indoor champion Deresse Mekonnen. Cuban world record holder Dayron Robles should run against world champion 2005 Ladji Doucoure. New European record could be realistic at 300 m in case the oval will have the same qualities as the previous one. Current record holder Johan Wissman of Sweden (32.61 in Lievin 2006) competes against current world leader Maksim Dyldin of Russia (32.93). Canadian Olympic medallist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep is the star of 60 m Hurdles and men´s 60 m will have interesting additions to the classic field with long jump world champion Dwight Phillips and fast from US (6.55) Carlos Moore along with home European record holder Ronald Pognon (he opens in Stuttgart during the weekend). Two jumping events will be of high quality. Women´s triple jump will see world champion Yargelis Savigne, Slovenian record holder Marija Sestak, Yamile Aldama of Sudan, Magdelin Martinez from Italy and Russians Anna Pyatykh with Oksana Udmurtova. In the men Long jump top Cubans Ibrahim Camejo (Olympic medallist) and Wilfred Martinez will jump against home Salim Sdiri and Czech Olympic 8th placer Roman Novotny.
RETURN OF DIETZSCH
KIENBAUM (GER, Feb 9): Triple discus world champion who missed last year and Olympics due to health problems returned to competition. Franka Dietzsch was second in German qualifiying competition for European Cup Winter Throwing in March. She was second with 61.98 and beaten by Nadine Muller (62.30). Top hammer throwers won their events, Markus Esser 76.61 and 2007 world champion Betty Heidler 67.39. Olympic finalist Katharina Molitor was the best in javelin (54.68).
NEW EVENT IN BYDGOSZCZ
BYDGOSZCZ (POL): New event of the traditional indoor Pedros Cup in jumping is the men shot put. On Tuesday the EA Indoor Permit meet will stage also the duel of all three Olympic medallists. The home star and winner Tomasz Majewski against US Christian Cantwell and Belarus Andrey Mikhnevich. In women pole vault the home elite Monika Pyrek and Anna Rogowska will fight against Russian European medallist Tatyana Polnova and German Silke Spiegelburg. In men High Jump fresh new Poland´s 230 jumper Sylwester Bednarek will have it tough against Czech duo Jaroslav Baba and Tomas Janku.
DEFAR IN PRAGUE
PRAGUE (CZE): Ethiopian World Athlete of the Year 2007 Meseret Defar travelled from Stuttgart on Sunday to Praha to be the guest at Monday´s press briefing connected to the new Indoor Meet planned for Feb 26. She is the latest star signed to the inaugural edition after the likes of Yelena Isinbayeva, Blanka Vlasic or Dayron Robles. But the set-up was very special. Defar met with the press on the brand new 200 m track in the 02 arena just installed since Friday. It was the first and last instalment of the track before the meet itself. Now in 48 hours it will be removed into 1200 pieces. A new installation will begin on February 23 with 48 hours to do it. Defar was also first runner on the track as she jogged before the media two laps. Her starter was also prominent, the meet director Jan Zelezny. „It is beautiful hall, I never saw such a big hall,” said Defar. She is next running the 5000 m in Stockholm on Feb 18 and then Prague. Her event is not decided yet. „I want to break a world record in Praha and will see the distance after Stockholm, but maybe also earlier. It will be either two miles or 2000 m,” she was quoted. On Tuesday a test like a competition will be held in the hall. (You can watch and use photos from the Monday function at http://www.pragueindoor.cz/foto-o2arena.zip, just credit Jan Pokorny)
OTHER NEWS
VALENCIA (ESP): Next confirmed stars for Valencia IAAF Indoor Permit meet this Saturday are Poland´s olympic winner in Shot Put Tomasz Majewski and former gold medallist from Olympics and Worlds in Long Jump Dwight Phillips who is competing this winter in the 60 metres.
BERN (SUI): Athletics fans can also vote the Swiss Athlete of the Year 2008. Until February 21st, one can choose online (www.swiss-athletics.ch) amongst four nominees in the categories male athlete, female athlete, youngster and team – and also win prizes. The online vote will count 50%, the other 50% will be the choice of a jury of specialists.
NAIROBI (KEN): Race Results Weekly informs that British agent Chris Gowar died last Friday of a heart attack in Nairobi, according to two other agents who contacted Race Results Weekly. Gowar’s death was confirmed by Athletics Kenya Secretary General David Okeyo. Ironically, Gowar was one of four agents who had recently been suspended by Athletics Kenya. Gowar’s best-known client was probably marathoner John Kelai who won marathons in Singapore, Brussels, Toronto (Waterfront), and Mumbai. CHIBA (JPN): Canadian (and former Briton) distance runner Jon Brown heads the international entries for the traditional Chiba Cross Country this Sunday along with Portugal´s Alberto Chaica. Russian Irina Sergeyeva is the main name for women 6 km. From home runner Yoshitaka Iwamizu on the men side and Yuriko Kobayashi with Kiyoko Shimahara on the women.
RESULTS
SAN BLAS (PUR, Feb 8): James Kwambai won the 47th San Blas Half-Marathon in Puertorico clocking 1:02:21. Ethiopian Azalech Masresha was the best woman in 1:15:04.
VERONA (ITA, Feb 8): Ethiopian Teferi Kebede Balcha won the second Verona Marathon in 2:12:30 as Race Results Weekly informs. Kenyan Eliud Kibet as second clocked also highly respectable 2:13:38. 2004 Olympic winner Stefano Baldini won the half distance race in 1:04:49. Rosaria Console was the best woman here in 1:11:58.
TIMBO (BRA, Feb 8): National CC Champions at 12 km Gladson Silva (38:52) and at women´s 8 km Zenaide Vierira (28:55).
MOSCOW (RUS, Feb 7-8): Ilya Krivetskiy improved to 227 High Jump at Moscow City U23 indoor championships. World indoor champion Olesya Zykina achieved 53.21 400 m win competing out of the scoring of the championships.
HAVANNA (CUB, Feb 6-7): Mabel Gay achieved solid 14.34 (+1.9) triple jump at first senior competitions in Cuba. Yariana Martinez leaped to 14.25 (+1.5) and junior Dailenis Alcantara to 14.23 (+1.1) in good quality competition. Yarisley Collado improved in discus throw to 60.90 m. Fast hand timed sprints for David Lescay 10.0 in men and Nelkis Casadona 10.9 in women 100 m.
BELFAST (GBR, Feb 8): Addition to Irish Championships. In finals of 60m Hurdles Briton Gemma Bennett clocked 8.08 and beat Irish 2006 World Indoor Champion Derval O´Rourke (8.10).
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME NEWS.
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