by Larry Eder
Usain Bolt completed a light workout on Thursday, one day after the stitches were removed. He told his coach of a slight discomfort…
Photo by Photorun.net.
BOLT IN FIRST LIGHT TRAINING
KINGSTON (JAM): It is getting better for sprinting star Usain Bolt. As Jamaican and world media are widely reporting, the world record holder had a light training on Thursday. Jamaica Observer published even a photo from the training. They are also writing that he showed no ill-effects of the minor injuries sustained to both feet in his car accident. It was his first training since one week. Bolt‘s coach Glen Mills told the Observer that the sprinter complained of „slight discomfort“ following approximately 10 minutes of light wind-sprints. „The stitches came out of his foot Wednesday, so he came out today just to feel himself out; doing some easy strides, just to feel how his foot feels,“ Mills said. „He still has a slight discomfort, but nothing major and I‘d hope by weekend, he should not be feeling any pain whatsoever,“ the veteran coach said. „I can‘t say yet. Today is the first day he came out and did some easy strides. As to whether he runs next week, that‘s still in the balance because I‘m not in a position to decide on that yet,“ he explained. „He would have to do some actual training first, whenever he‘s pain free,“ Mills added. Writes Jamaica Observer in connection to the planning street 150 m race in Manchester on May 17.
DAVID OLIVER SIGNS WITH PODIUM SAM
MONTE CARLO (MON): Olympic bronze medalist at 110 m Hurdles David Oliver has signed a management and representation deal with Podium SAM. Informs Podium in a release. Oliver, with a personal best of 12.95, who is coached by US Olympic team coach Brooks Johnson operating out of the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex, had a remarkable and successful 2008 season in the 110m hurdles with 10 out of 13 victories, including finishing the outdoor campaign with a victory at the IAAF World Athletics Finals in Stuttgart. Speaking from his base in Orlando, Florida, Oliver said, „As a young athlete, the most important thing I can hope to gain is experience, and by working with my coach, Brooks Johnson and my agent, Daniel Wessfeldt of Podium, I can benefit from their many years of experience in the business of professional athletics. I am extremely honored and excited about the opportunities in front of me this year, including the US national championships and hopefully the IAAF World Championships in Berlin later this summer. And I look forward to working with Podium to make the most of those opportunities.“ Oliver runs today in Doha the 110 m Hurdles. Podium has in roster of its clients for example pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva, Norway´s Olympic double winner in javelin Andreas Thorkildsen and Swedish top stars like Christian Olsson or Susanna Kallur. Oliver´s previous agent was German Marisa Reich.
OTHER NEWS
FORTALEZA (BRA): On Sunday begins the Brazilian May one day meetings tour with 5th Grande Pre^mio Caixa Unifor de Atletismo in Fortaleza. In women triple jump both last world champions will compete. Cuban Yargelis Savigne will face Jamaican Trecia Smith. Also men triple jump with all best Cubans (David Giralt, Alexis Copello, Osniel Tosca and Yoandri Betanzos) could produce something special. Interestingly home star Jadel Gregorio will be missed as he competes on Friday in Doha. US sprinter Mike Rodgers is the 100 m favorite in duel against in-form Jose Carlos Moreira who recently improved to 10.15. In other women events top Cubans will be there in throws. In javelin former world champion Osleidys Menendez, in discus Olympic silver medalist Yarelis Barrios and in shot put Olympic fourth placer Misleidys Gonzalez. US Rachelle Boone-Smith is favorite in the 100 m. Interesting European participation in steeple race. Dutch Miranda Boonstra is the national record holder with 9:42.87 from last year and Belgian Stephanie De Croock is even faster with 9:41.79.
SOCHI (RUS): The number of competitions where no-false start rule will be tested this year is growing. After European Team Championships in June (all leagues) also Russian Team Championships will try it. At the event in Sochi (May 28-31) the regions will compete for the first time for the honour of Russian Team Champion. In Sochi the organisers will also apply other experiments from European Team Championships. In vertical jumps in total only seven attempts and in horizontal already used only four attempts.
HAVANA (CUB): Cuban Olympic winner and world record holder Dayron Robles is training in the Ecuadorean coastal city of Guayaquil. „We‘ve gone to Ecuador to break routines,“ Robles said in Thursday newspaper reports in Cuba. „We have good conditions here to train in a relaxed atmosphere. We‘ll be focused on nothing but practice for a month,“ he was quoted. His first competition in June in Europe will be either Torino or Thessaloniki. He is already confirmed to return to place where he set the world record last year. He will run on June 17 in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
HENGELO (NED): After one hour world record attempt (by Haile Gebrselassie) and Kenenisa Bekele´s return to competitions at 1500 m another highlight of FBK Games in Hengelo on June 1 should be the shot put. Because of home star Rutger Smith but also because of first this summer clash of top two from Olympic Games – Tomasz Majewski and Christian Cantwell.
TOKYO (JPN): Japan athletics federation announced the official lineups for its 2009 World Championships marathon and walking teams. In the men team for marathon Satoshi Irifune, Masaya Shimizu, Kazuhiro Maeda, Arata Fujiwara, Atsushi Sato. Alternate is Kensuke Takahashi. Women squad is composed of Yoshimi Ozaki, Yoko Shibui, Yoshiko Fujinaga, Yuri Kano, Yukiko Akaba with Tomo Morimoto as alternate. Full representation is announced also in walking. Koichiro Morioka is scheduled to double at 20 km and 50 km. Also in the team at 20 km Isamu Fujisawa and Yusuke Suzuki and at 50 km Yuki Yamazaki and Takayuki Tanii. In women´s 20 km Masumi Fuchise, Mayumi Kawasaki and Kumi Otoshi.
KYIV (UKR): Ukrainian media are reporting about tragic death of vice-president of national federation Igor Pilipchuk (48). It happened in the Himalaya mountains of Nepal where he was member of a expedition group which was suppose to promote the EURO 2012.
NEW YORK (USA): Decathlon Olympic winner and former world record hodler Dan O‘Brien made his way to a Guinness World Record during the Crayola Outdoor Challenge in New York on Thursday. He broke the record for fastest game of Hopscotch played by nearly two seconds with a time of 1:21.63. With a crowd of local New York City school kids cheering him on, and overcoming the wet conditions from the week-long rain in New York City, O‘Brien played nearly a dozen games before setting the new hopscotch record, besting the previous Guinness World record. As a child, O‘Brien spent countless hours playing outside and hopscotch, the quintessential outdoor summer game, was one of his favorites. Each year, warm weather is soon followed by children flocking to sidewalks and playgrounds across the country to play and create hopscotch boards.
RESULTS
MINNEAPOLIS (USA, May 7): US indoor 3000 m champion David Torrance won another national title. At Medtronic TC mile he was the best and is the US road mile champion with 4:00 ahead of Jon Rankin (4:02)and Bobby Curtis (4:02). Olympian Shannon Rowbury was a clear women winner by six seconds (4:34). Second Sara Hall got 4:40 and third Sara Vaughn 4:42. In total 2321 finishers were registered, the winners will get 4000 USD each out of 22 500 prize purse.
PRINCETON (USA, May 5): New member of 20+ shot put club is Serbian World Championships participant Milan Jotanovic. At a meet here he achieved new personal best 20.07 m.
CALGARY (CAN, May 3): Fast sprints by Canadian Brian Barnett who clocked 10.28 and 20.82.
CHISINAU (MDA, May 5): Correction of new national hammer record of Marina Marghieva to 72.53 (not 72.58 as previously reported). At National University Championships she had three throws over 70 metres. Zalina Marghieva was second (68.94). Both Marghieva sisters are competing on Saturday as main favorites at Japan Grand Prix meeting in Osaka.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News.
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