by Larry Eder
Anna Alminova, Stuttgart, February 7, 2009, courtesy of Bob Ramsak, Trackprofile.com
Anna Alminova ran a fine 1:57.86 in her heat of the 800 meters at the Russian championships. Also in the Russian champs, women’s world bests over 10,000 meters, (two under 30:33), also second fastest run over 400 meters for women. Note that the 400 meter runner went from 51.2 seasonal best to 50.3 to 49.24 in semi finals!
(From Friday, July 24, 2009)
ALMINOVA WORLD LEADING 1:57.86 IN HEATS
CHEBOKSARY (RUS, July 23): Russian championships as qualifyng meet for World Championships started in Cheboksary with fast women 10 000 m and steeple races and world leading 800 m in women heats. Yuliya Zarudneva won the 3000 m steeple with great PB and years second fastest 9:13.18 over Yelena Sidorchenkova (9:22.15) and Lyubov Kharlamova (9:33.20). Top two qualified for Berlin as Yekaterina Volkova as title defender has the wild card and world record holder Gulnara Samitova-Galkina is also qualified. European record holder Liliya Shobukhova won the 10 000 m in European leading and years fifth fastest 30:30.93 in rain. Second Mariya Konovalova as second also fast 30:32.53. Third Kseniya Agafonova achieved 31:10.68 life-time best over European Champion Inga Abitova (31:40.00). Anna Alminova clocked world leading 1:57.86 in women 800 m heats with Svetlana Klyuka fast 1:58.23 as second. In other heat Yulia Rusanova achieved 1:58.99 and Yevgeniya Zinurova 1:59.82 in other race. As winners qualified also Tatyana Andrianova (2:01.10) and European indoor champion Mariya Savinova (2:02.40). Rybakov twins dominated the 10 000 m as Yevgeniy achieved 28:19.13 and Anatoliy 28:19.39. Ildar Minshin won the steeple in good 8:28.61. Antonina Krivoshapka achieved new PB and years second fastest (European lead) 49.29 in women 400 m semis. Natalya Nazarova was second (50.57). In other semi Lyudmila Litvinova achieved 50.56 over Tatyana Firova (50.59) and in third race Anastasiya Kapachinskay got 50.49 over Yulia Gushchina (51.06). Olga Kucherenko leaped to 685 (+0.6) in long jump qualification. World record holder Yulia Pechonkina was the fastest in 400 m hurdles heats 54.93. Yevgeniya Polyakova clocked windy 11.16 (+3.5) in 100 m women heats. In men´s 400 m the fastest Konstantin Svechkar (46.00) and in 800 m heats Yuriy Borzakovskiy achieved 1:46.31. Aleksandr Derevyagin posted 49.68 as fastest in men´s 400 m hurdles heats.
IBRAHIMOV GETS GOLD FOR AZERBAIJAN
NOVI SAD (SRB): The most eye-catching triumph was Hayle Ibrahimov getting Azerbaijan‘s first ever victory in the championships, or even medal, since the country became independent in 1991. The Ethiopian-born 19-year-old cruised to a 10000m win in a national junior record 30:06.64. Simon Lawson got Britain‘s first ever medal at the event in 30:35.62. Belarus‘ Siarhei Platonau pulled away from Britain‘s Dewi Griffiths with four laps to go to take the bronze in 30:55.92. Writes European Athletics. Aliona Hryshko, the 2007 World Youth Championships gold medallist, went into the final more than a metre better than her rivals on the basis of her personal best of 17.95m that she produced to win her national junior title last month and so another title was effectively hers when she sent the Shot out to 17.39m in the opening round. Her fifth-round 16.94m was still significantly better than anybody else could manage and then, with the gold medal already confirmed, she capped her series with 17.59m. Belgium‘s Thomas van der Plaetsen is aiming to become Belgium‘s first European junior champion in the Decathlon and leads after the first day‘s five events with 4137 points, notching up personal bests in every single discipline.
French sprinter Christophe Lemaître eased through the first round in the best time of 10.44 and then impressed as the fastest qualifier for Friday‘s final by clocking 10.26 (-1.3) in his semi. Great Britain‘s Chris Clarke, the 400m bronze medallist 12 months ago at the World Junior Championships, was the only man under 47 seconds when he won the first semi-final over one lap of the track in 46.71. Ukraine‘s Yuliya Baraley confirmed her status as the big favourite for the women‘s 400m by cruising to an easy first-round win in 53.16, over half-a-second better than Russia‘s Liliya Gafiyatullina, the next best qualifier for Friday‘s final in a personal best of 53.72.
Russia‘s Alexsey Fydorov, the 2007 World Youth Championships men‘s Triple Jump silver medallist, has jumped 16.62m this season, almost half-a-metre further than anybody else, and confirmed his status as the clear favourite for the gold medal by only needing one jump of 16.55m to secure his place in Friday‘s final. Russia‘s Elmira Alembekova took the lead almost from the gun in the women‘s 10,000m Walk, and never relinquished it for 25 gruelling laps to win in 46:31.07. Alembekova notched up Russia‘s fifth consecutive victory at the event. In fact, no other country has stood on top of the medal podium since the discipline‘s distance was lengthened from 5000m to 10000m.
RUSSIAN MULTI-EVENTS TEAM NEARLY CLEAR
CHEBOKSARY (RUS): Heptathlon European U23 silver winner from Kaunas Olga Kurban qualified with that mark to World Championships in Berlin. That was confirmed by Russian national combined events head-coach Lev Lobodin for All-Sport. Already before confirmed was olympic medalist Tatyana Chernova. Third spot will be decided between fourth placer from European Cup Marina Goncharova and European U23 bronze winner Nadezhda Sergeyeva. The decision will be known withing next days. Decathlon men team is clear says Lobodin. Aleksandr Pogorelov, Vasiliy Kharlamov and Aleksey Sysoyev will be named.
INTERESTING DUELS AT HERCULIS
MONTE CARLO (MON): Some interesting duels are scheduled for Herculis Meet on July 28 in Monte Carlo (IAAF Super Grand Prix). World champion Veronica Campbell-Brown will for first time clash this year with olympic winner Shelly-Ann Fraser at 100 metres. In women´s 1500 m unbeaten Ethiopian Gelete Burka will face world leader Maryam Jamal of Bahrain and best European Anna Alminova of Russia who is European indoor champion. First duel after Berlin Golden League opening in high jump area between Ariane Friedrich and Blanka Vlasic will be staged. Men´s 400 m hurdles will have for second time after Prefontaine Classic this year all US olympic medalists Kerron Clement, Angelo Taylor and Bershawn Jackson in direct clash with Jamaican Isa Phillips. US Berlin-bound 100 metres runner Darvis Patton will compete in Europe for first time this year in his event, Jamaican Michael Frater needs to confirm with fast time his Berlin selection (because Yohan Blake clocked some sub 10 seconds recently).
BARCELONA READY FOR THE MEET
BARCELONA (ESP): Barcelona European Athletics Classic meet on Saturday gives opportunity to test the facilites for next years European Championships. Excellent 200 m with US Berlin-bound (but at 100 m) Darvis Patton against Jamaican Steve Mullings and Panamian record holder Alonso Edward, Veronica Campbell-Brown in her first 200 m in Europe this year. African record holder Godfrey Mokoena returns to circuit in long jump. Great discus with olympic medalist from Beijing Piotr Malachowski against former olympic winner Virgilijus Alekna and home Mario Pestano with Frank Casanas. Olympic winner Tomasz Majewski of Poland will clash with US world indoor champion Christian Cantwell. There is a change in the middle distance events, as Jesús Espańa will definitely compete in the 1500 meter event and leave out the 5000 meter race for the Spanish championships. Eritrean Zersenay Tadese won‘t compete in this same race either. Irish record holder David Gillick runs the 400 m against strong overseas opposition. Ugandan 2005 world champion Dorcus Inzikuru returns in women steeple to international scene after some break. She will face the most popular Spanish runner currently Marta Dominguez. World Champion Betty Heidler of Germany is the main name in women hammer, Poland´s Golden League winner Anna Jesien runs the 400 m hurdles and Nuria Fernandez is the top entry at 1500 m. Usual great depth in men´s 1500 m, 5000 m and steeple.
LONDON UPDATES
LONDON (GBR): Track and Field News reports that according to agent Mark Wetmore, there are rumors circulating on the internet and around the European circuit that Tyson Gay is injured and may not make it to his appointed sprint meeting with Olympic superman Usain Bolt at the World Championships next month. The double world sprint champion does have a sore groin, but Wetmore, Gay‘s manager, told T&FN that the injury is neither a traumatic new development nor a malady that is likely to keep Gay from defending his titles in Berlin. „It‘s really more of an annoyance than an injury,“ Wetmore said. „More something that he has to manage in training than an injury that affects his racing. It‘s been developing for a long time over a period of years and recently it‘s gotten worse. Tyson saw a doctor who‘s a specialist in that area in Munich and the determination was that it‘s something he can wait till after the season to deal with. The doctor assured him he won‘t damage it more by racing. So he‘s on a plane and still plans to race in London in Saturday the 200 m.“
LONDON (GBR): Due to injuries still not ready to compete is US pole vault record holder Jenn Stuczynski who was initially planned to jump in London on Friday. Also not yet ready is David Oliver, the olympic 110 m hurdles medalist. He is having treatment in Germany and plans to run in Monaco, his first this years European race.
LONDON (GBR): At the end of two days Aviva GP men´s 4×100 m relay will be staged. Two home teams will fight against two teams of USA (one should include Tyson Gay), Australia, Canada, Switzerland. The last team will be Racers TC, the club of Jamaican coach Glen Mills with Usain Bolt and other members of the club (includes for example Yohan Blake, Daniel Bailey, Marvin Anderson). That means it will not be a Jamaican team.
LONDON (GBR): Australian Jana Rawlinson‘s defense of her 400 metres hurdles world title has been cast in doubt after the 27-year-old was diagnosed with a bulging disc in her back. Rawlinson, who recently returned to competition after a toe injury sidelined her for a year, had pulled out of this weekend‘s London Grand Prix meeting, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) said. „We‘ll see what happens in the next few days,“ her coach Craig Hilliard told AAP.
MADRID (ESP): Olympic long jump champion Irving Saladino of Panama believes that he can comfortably surpass Powell‘s mark of 8.95m achieved in 1991. „It‘s a dream, but it‘s possible,“ Saladino , whose PB 8.73m was achieved in May 2008, told Spanish daily AS. On the other hand he cancelled his participation at Aviva London Grand Prix where he was suppose to clash with world leader Dwight Phillips.
LONDON (GBR): British long distance runner, Mo Farah plans an assault on one of the longest-held British records at the Aviva London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace – the 5,000m time that was set eight months before he was born by David Moorcroft as the world record in Oslo with 13:00.47 in 1982. It would mean Farah, Britain‘s leading male long-distance runner, slashing his own personal best of 13:07.00 by a huge amount. „It‘s not going to get in the way of anything. To have a crack at getting a medal I need to be closer to that 13-minute barrier,“ Farah said about plans for Berlin. Writes www.mirror.co.uk.
OTHER NEWS
LAUSANNE (SUI): European Athletics has welcomed the information received from Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that the seven Russian athletes charged with urine substitution prior to the Beijing Olympic Games have been suspended for a period of 2 years and 9 months, and have had all their results from the date of the infraction annulled. European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz said, „We at European Athletics welcome this decision from the CAS and stand firmly behind the IAAF in line with our policy of zero-tolerance for doping cheats. This is a boost to our endeavour to make our sport free from doping. The decision endorses the IAAF‘s action in targeting, investigating, and prosecuting doping cases even with non-traditional methods – in this case the storage of samples and DNA comparison,“ said President Wirz.
ADDIS ABABA (ETH): The 2004 Olympic 5,000 champion and current world champion, Meseret Defar from Ethiopia has targeted the women‘s 5,000 and 10,000 metres world records at next month‘s world championships in Berlin. „God willing, I plan to set the best performance ever, most probably setting a new world record in the 5,000 and 10,000 metre events in Berlin,“ she told reporters. Her compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba, the Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 champion and world record holder for the shorter distance, should be the biggest challenge for her. „I am in the finest form. I hope to perform well, although the challenges from Kenyan and other top world athletes is going to be difficult,“ Dibaba said. Defar has no more competitions left before Berlin, Dibaba runs 5000 m in London, her only second track race of the season. The Ethiopians are expected to be up against Kenyan 2007 world silver medallist in the 5,000 metres, Vivian Cheruiyot, and Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 silver medallist Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey.
ATHENS (GRE): Long-jumper Louis Tsatoumas looks to be the sole Greek track athlete with any shot at a medal next month at the IAAF world championships in athletics. With the Greek championships scheduled for August 1-2, there could still be some surprise performances prior to Berlin. However, the rising star hurdler Kostas Douvalidis as well as triple-jump champion Piyi Devetzi have been injured most of the season. It is expected the Greek team for Berlin will number about 25 if injured stars like Devetzi are able to compete.
UGANDA: World 5000m bronze medallist Moses Kipsiro from Uganda, who has never missed any national event when he is in the country, will run 1500m at the national athletics championships this Friday. „Kipsiro said he wanted to encourage other runners,“ said his country manager Godfrey Nuwagaba. After that, Kipsiro will start at Tuesday‘s Monaco world athletics governing body IAAF Permit event.
LOS ANGELES (USA): Universal Sports has live coverage of two day Aviva London Grand Prix. Live both days at UniversalSports.com and Universal Sports TV.
ERFURT (GER): Erich Drechsler, the former coach of Heike Drechsler is currently helping US long jumper Funmi Jimoh. She improved this year to 696 and will compete at World Championships in Berlin.
LONDON (GBR): British media are informing that Diamond League TV rights dispute concerning the british meetings will head for Court after meediation failed. Great Britain will have two meetings next year when the new series starts.
NEW YORK (USA): Ryan Hall, the 2008 USA Olympic Marathon Trials champion and national half-marathon record holder, has confirmed his participation in the ING New York City Marathon on Nov. 1. It will be Hall‘s first attempt competing in the world‘s largest marathon which will be celebrating its 40th edition this year.
MONTE CARLO (MON): IAAF announced the launch of its new website for the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin, Germany (15-23 Aug). The site is already full of news and information, and when the championships begin the Broadcasting section in particular will burst into action with video, radio and podcasts. Also IAAF Fantasy Athletics game is included. News summaries will be in French, German and Spanish languages. Check it at http://berlin.iaaf.org/index.html.
RESULTS
YALTA (UKR, July 23): Great triple jumping during second and final day of Ukrainian Championships. Mykola Savolainen achieved 17.17 (+1.8) in last round, Yevhen Semenenko got 17.16 (+1.8) and Viktor Yastrebov 17.00 (+1.2). Svitlana Mamyeyeva won the women event with new PB 14.38 (+1.8). High Jumps did not produce special marks. Vita Styopina cleared 189 and beat on count-back Iryna Myhalchenko. In the men competition even a jump-off was needed between Viktor Shapoval and Dmytro Demyanyuk (both 225), but after Shapoval did not clear 228, Demyanyuk passed and did not continue. Third Andriy Protsenko also had 225. World indoor medalist Tetyana Petlyuk clocked 1:59.30 to win the 800 m. Ihor Bodrov achieved 20.88 (-0.1) at 200 m. In long distances Sergiy Lebid won the 5000 m (14:04.34) and Tetyana Holovchenko her second title with 33:04.08 at 10 000 m. Lyudmyla Yosypenko improved to 6412 points to win the heptathlon, decathlon winner Yevhen Nikitin scored 7845 points.
ANGERS (FRA, July 23): Combined eventer Vanessa Gladone won surprisingly the triple jump during first day of French Championships with 14.13 (+1.0) PB over favorite Teresa Nzola Meso (14.10, +2.0). Fast preliminaries for Sandra Gomis 13.00 (+2.0) at 100 m hurdles, Cedric Lavanne 13.57 (+1.8) at 110 m hurdles and Martial Mbandjock 20.74 (+1.9) at 200 m.
KARLSTAD (SWE, July 23): This years Folksam GP ended with last meeting in cold and rain in Karlstad. US double world champion Michelle Perry achieved 13.02 (-1.2) at 100 m hurdles. Sudan´s world indoor champion Abubaker Kaki returned after Oslo injury with 1000 m 2:20.18 win. Latvian shot putter Maris Urtans got solid 19.87 and US Lashauntea Moore excellent stadium record 11.43 (+0.1) at 100 m taking the conditions into account. Home star Johan Wissman won the 200 m in 21.03 (+1.1). US Jeff Porter confirmed his shape with another European win 13.72 (-1.1) and Kenyan steeplechaser Collins Kosgei was the best in 8:36.58 tactical win. In two 100 m sections, faster Jamaican Winston Barnes (10.59, -0.9) as from injury returning Darrell Brown of Trinidad (10.61, -0.1).
TAMPERE (FIN, July 23): Fourth day at European Olympic Youth Festival saw Russian Danill Tsyplakov cleared excellent 221 to win the high jump over World Youth Champion Dmytry Kroyter (219) from Israel. Austrian Lukas Weisshaidinger won the shot put (20.35, 5 kg) and Slovak Tomas Kruzliak the hammer (74.24, 5 kg). Spanish hurdler Arnau Erta won the 110 m H event in 13.46 (-0.4). In girls home gold for Nooralotta Neziri with 13.23 (+1.3) at 100 m hurdles. Russian World youth champion Vera Rudakova was the best again at 400 m hurdles (58.01) and Slovenian hammer record holder Barbara Spiler won her event with 63.57 m.
MARIETTA (USA, July 20): Tennessee‘s Phoebe Wright and Chanelle Price ran the fastest 800-meter times of their careers on Sunday at the Georgia Games Track & Field Championships, finishing one-two in the open women‘s division at Marietta High School. Wright clocked in at 2:00.40 to post her fourth personal record of the season. Unfortunately for Wright, though, her mark left her agonizingly short of the 2:00.00 mark she needed to hit the „A“ qualifying standard for the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany, later this summer. Price as second also run a PB 2:01.33.
FORMIA (ITA, July 23): Giulio Ciotti cleared 2,31m in the high jump at the ‚Bruno Zauli‘ in Formia equalling his PB set three years ago. His brother Nicola achieved 2,25m. Giuseppe Gibilisco cleared 5,40m in the pole vault.
NEMBRO (ITA, July 23): Italian sprinter Manuelo Levorato has come back with 11.68s in the 100m. Her last appearance was in October 2007. On August 29th last year, her daughter Giulia was born. The final was won by Doris Tomasini with 11,67s. Jacques Riparelli was the winner in the men‘s race clocking 10.39s. Hurdler Emanuele Abate achieved 13,65.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News.
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