by Larry EderRobbie Andrews, the young prep who won the Millrose prep mile so convincingly, ran a fine 1:49.21 at the NYC Armory this past weekend at the NSSF Meet. Between the NSSF and the Nike Indoor this past weekend, new prep records abound!
Photography by PhotoRun.net
KANTER FOR INDOOR DISCUS WORLD BEST
VAXJO (SWE): At an indoor discus throw competition on Sunday Estonian Gerd Kanter will try to surpass the best under-roof-mark on record (reportedly 66.20 by Wolfgang Schmidt in 1980).
Informs Lennart Julin. Växjö has an indoor arena (Tipshallen) built for football (soccer) thus there is enough space for throwing the discus. Kanter‘s coach Vesteinn Hafsteinsson moved from Helsingborg to Växjö last year, so Kanter and the other throwers in the group have been training quite a lot in Växjö this winter. Kanter achieved the best mid-march result ever 69.70 on Sunday at European Cup Winter Throwing and it is clear he has the shape to break the mark.
SHAHEEN TO AMMAN
NAIROBI (KEN): Qatar‘s 3000m steeplechase World Record holder Saif Saaeed Shaheen has confirmed that he will compete in the World Cross Country Championships later this month. „I‘m looking forward to running in Amman and then I‘ll have two races (on the track) before July. I‘ll run at the Doha Grand Prix meeting and then another in the United States,“ Shaheen said in an interview with the BBC. It will be the first time since 2006 that Shaheen will run in the World Cross Country Championships. He has never won an individual medal at the Championships, although he has finished in the top 10 on four occasions including fourth place in the now-defunct short race in 2005. Shaheen also confirmed that he is also targeting the 3,000m steeplechase at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin this summer, rather than the 5,000m. In 2006, even before his right knee injury sustained later that year which caused his to miss the entire 2007 season and only run three races last year, the 2003 and 2005 World champion at the event said that he was going to give up the steeplechase as it was causing his injury problems in his legs. „The steeplechase is in my heart. I‘m more comfortable at it, I have more experience and more confidence at the event,“ he added.
OTHER NEWS
CONSTANTA (ROU): „It is a very big loss for the sports family of Constanta and for the Romanian athletics. He was a very talented athlete, hard working and he had a beautiful future in sportsâ€, declared for News In, DSJ Constanta director, Elena Francu. Long Jumper Claudiu Bujin (24, PB of 788 in 2006) has discovered a tumor between his lungs and heart during a routine check-up made in 2007. He followed a treatment in a clinic in Germany, and he was soon supposed to go to Turkey for a new treatment. But this will not happen, he died last week. He was part of the Romanian team and was considered a hope for the 2012 Olympic Games, for the Long Jump, obtaining until presently many titles of national and Balkan champion in the juniors as well as seniors stages. Claudiu Bujin has a sister Cristina, who is also an athlete at CS Farul, won the indoor title this year in triple jump and competed in qualification during European Indoor Championships in Torino.
MOSCOW (RUS): Russian Athletics Federation informed that it filled two bids to IAAF for the future. Tha capitol of Mordovia (home of the most of best russian walkers) Saransk is bidding to stage IAAF Race Walking World Cup in 2012. Saransk already hosted the IAAF Challenge finals in 2007 and will organise the same event this year. Another walking-known city Cheboksary is this time bidding to stage the IAAF World Half-Marathon championships in 2011. Cheboksary already hosted European (2003) and World Walking Cup (2008) and will stage this september first international half-marathon.
JOHANNESBURG (RSA): Athletics South Africa announced that it will send four full strength teams to participate in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan, on 28 March. Plans are afoot to bring a top Kenyan cross country coach to South Africa to assist the team in preparing during a two week long training camp. The camp will also ensure that the team departs for Amman fully focused on their task at the World Championships. The senior men‘s team will be led by the experienced Boy Soke, Tshamano Setone, Stephen Mokoka and Jeffrey Gwebu and together with promising Sibusiso Nzima and Kgosi Tsonane can give a good account of themselves. The Phalula twins, Lebo and Lebogang, have been in great form during the track season and together with Annerien van Schalkwyk, Tebogo Masehla and Myrette Filmalter will compete in the senior women‘s race. The junior women‘s team will include talented runners in Ashleigh Schnetler, Letitia Saayman and Maxine Heine-Wacker while the junior men‘s team will have seasoned campaigners in Windy Jonas, Sithyilo Diko and Folavia Sehohle. Informs SA website.
GOTZIS (AUT): Fresh European combined events indoor champions Estonian Mikk Pahapill and Russian Anna Bogdanova confirmed their participation at premier multi-events meet in the world. Austrian Gotzis is as every year (starting 1975) trying to have the best possible participation, this year the event will be held on May 30-31. Informs www.leichtathletik.de
NAIROBI (KEN): Delvine Relin Meringor (16), fourth finisher at last year’s World Cross in Edinburgh, Scotland, will have another go at the global event in Amman after injury ruled out Judith Chepkoech from the national junior women’s team. With 12 days before team’s departure for the Jordanian capital, Chepkoech, who was given a wildcard for the 37th World Cross after finishing seventh (22:32.9) at the February 21 national trials, was dropped from the team at the advice of the medical team. „She was suffering from a recurrent muscle strain and doctors recommended she should not continue with training. The panel of selectors settled on Meringor, who has the experience at this stage. We hope that is the only change we make to the team since it is our intention for the team to go as it is,“ Athletics Kenya (AK) general secretary, David Okeyo, told reporters. Kenyan media informs.
OSLO (NOR): Insidethegames.com informs that Norway will wear the kit of Chinese company China Dongxiang at the London 2012 Olympics after signing a deal with the company that owns the rights to Kappa, the iconic Italian brand. Under the deal, signed today, China Dongxiang will provide the Norwegian team with Kappa and Phenix sportswear at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and 2012.
COLLEGE STATION (USA): Murielle Ahoure, winner of the 200m (22.80) at the NCAA championships, is the daughter of general Mathias Doué, a former chief of staff of Ivory Coast‘s Army, www.africathle.com informs.
BEIJING (CHN): After very successful Olympics and Paralympics in 2008, there is the next big target for China – to find a role for the iconic Bird´s nest. „Most stadiums in the world run in normal methods are not able to make profit,“ Zhang Hengli, deputy general manager of the CITIC Consortium Stadium Operation Company, told Reuters. But China is different. “Firstly we have a large population. The other thing is the stadiums in Beijing are mostly located in busy areas so we can guarantee a certain flow of people, which is a foundation of our profit.“ By 2013, Zhang hopes they will be able to enjoy 10 major cultural performances and up to 30 sports events in the stadium every year. However, as Zhang says: „I don‘t want another Olympics, much too tiring.“
TOKYO (JPN): Japanese men‘s 3000 m, 10000 m and marathon (2:06:16) national record holder, 38-year-old Toshinari Takaoka announced that he will retire from professional running following this Sundays Tokyo Marathon. Takaoka, who is a native of Kyoto, seriously strained the muscle in his left calf while training in Yamaguchi Prefecture for the Tokyo Marathon in February this year. About the World championships participation he admitted: „If I were chosen for the team I would be delighted to wear the national uniform one more time.“ Informs Japan Running News.
NEW YORK (USA): Due to recent cutbacks at the Wasserman Media Group / Sportnet, the website Trackshark.com will be shut down soon. Trackshark was actually born in 1996 after launching MacTrack.net which covered track & field within the Mid-American Conference. In 2002, MacTrack.net helped build Trackshark.com to start covering all of track & field at the collegiate level. Out of hard work, dedication and many sleepless hours so we can update the best marks from across the country on a Saturday night / Sunday morning, writes Tom Borish Senior Editor, Trackshark.com, 2002-2009.
LAUSANNE (SUI): The European Athletics Yearbook 2008-09 is now available to order and can be purchased for 25.00 EUR/38.00 CHF (in Europe) or 30.00 EUR/46.00 CHF (overseas). This annual publication sponsored by IAAF Official Track supplier MONDO, contains a review of European Athletics wide-ranging programme of events and initiatives as well as comprehensive 2008 and all-time performance lists.
RESULTS
CASTEL BRANCO (POR, Mar 15): Rui Pedro Silva won the Portugal CC title with 36:50 beating Jose Rocha (36:52) and Eduardo Mbengani (36:58). Conforlimpa beat Maratone in teams as both had 18 points. Maratona won the women category clearly with 13 points. The team provided top two Ines Monteiro (26:43) and Analia Rosa (26:53). Third Ana Dias (27:17) ahead of Sara Moreira (27:24) and Dulce Felix (27:53) with Jessica Augusto not finishing the race. Junior winners Jose Costa (25:53) and Daniela Cunha (21:21) have been selected to Amman. In senior ranks the top three in men category along with Licinio Pimentel, Helder Ornelas and Manuel Damiao. In women team top five from championships with Elisabete Lopes and Jessica Augusto.
NOMI (JPN, Mar 15): Olympic Games 14th placer at 50 km Li Jianbo won the Asian 20 km walk Championships with good 1:20:38. Second Yu Wei achieved 1:20:41 and won the silver also for China. Bronze for Korean Park Chil-Sung (1:20:45) ahead of best home walker Isamu Fujisawa (1:21:00). But in the women race home success was registered as Japanese record holder Masumi Fuchise walked to 1:30:49 win ahead of Kumi Otoshi (1:31:42, PB) and best Chinese Li Yanfei (19, 1:32:16) who was bronze winner at last World Junior Championships.
SARANSK (RUS, Mar 15): World Cup junior category winner Aleksey Bartsaykin won the 3000 m walk during Irina Stankina Trophy walking indoor meet with 11:31.2 ahead of Aleksey Kanayev. Women 3000 m winner was World junior silver medalist Elmira Alembekova (12:47.3) beating Anna Lukyanova (12:48.5).
BATH (GBR, Mar 15): Kenyan Simon Tonui won the half-marathon here with 1:03:00. More than 10 000 finishers were registered. Kenyan Joyce Kandie was the best in women race after 1:11:00.
NEW YORK (USA, Mar 15): Robby Andrews clocked a new US High School indoor record at 800 m with 1:49.21. Excellent sprints by Ashton Purvis at National Scholastic Indoor Championships at the Armory track. She won the 60 m in 7.43 and posted even higher quality 23.37 at 200 m.
BOSTON (USA, Mar 15): Devon Smith clocked excellent 6.63 to win the 60 m at Nike High School Indoor Championships. World youth champion 2007 Wayne Davis improved the US High School 60 m Hurdles (lower hurdles) to 7.60. The former mark of 7.62 was held among others by such current top hurdlers like Terrence Trammell.
NORTHRIDGE (USA, Mar 14): 2004 Olympic 400 m Hurdles winner Felix Sanchez wants to be back at sub 48 level after four years. He started his summer campaign at Northridge Invitational with 10.72 (+1.2) at 100 m. His best from 2005 is 10.45.
GOLD COAST (AUS, Mar 15): Improving on his personal best by six centimetres, Queensland long jumper Mitchell Watt (20) leapt a massive 8.17m (-1.0) to register his first ‘A’ qualifier for the world championships. The impressive jump moves Watt to seventh position on the Australian all-time list, ahead of dual Olympian David Culbert (8.13m).
CAMAGUEY (CUB, Mar 14): Cuban sprinters contested the Rafael Fortún Memorial in the central-eastern city of Camagüey, in honour of the two-time 1951 Pan American Games champion. Anay Tejeda, the 2008 World Indoor bronze medallist, took the women’s 100m Hurdles in 12.90, as Dayron Capetillo did in the 110m Hurdles with 13.71. Victor Gonzalez dominated the 100m in 10.25, ahead of Michel Herrera (10.28) and junior Roberto Skyers (10.32). Dayneris Bience, 21, set a personal best with her 11.50 win, well clear of 34-year old Olympian Virgen Benavides (11.67). Informs IAAF.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News.
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