by Larry Eder
Kenenisa Bekele, Rome 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Yelena Isinbayeva, 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Track & Field News, the bible of the sport, named Kenenisa Bekele and Yelena Isinbayeva as their Athletes of the Decade! What do you think? Send me your thoughts
at runblogrun@gmail.com!
BEKELE AND ISINBAYEVA
MOUNTAIN VIEW (USA): Every 10 years Track & Field News, „The Bible Of The Sport,“ names its Athletes Of The Decade. The No. 1 men‘s choice was Ethiopian distance legend Kenenisa Bekele for 2000-2010 period. While the editors based their choices on overall impact in the decade, they also stressed quality over quantity. Second is discus thrower Virgilijus Alekna, third Hicham El Guerrouj, fourth Usain Bolt, fifth Robert Korzeniowski, sixth Jeremy Wariner, seventh Dwight Phillips, eighth Andreas Thorkildsen, ninth Roman Sebrle and tenth Saif Saed Shaheen. Women´s athlete of the decade is pole vault star Yelena Isinbayeva. Second place for Tirunesh Dibaba ahead of Carolina Kluft, Tatyana Lebedeva and Sanya Richards completing top five. Sixth Veronica Campbell-Brown ahead of Allyson Felix, Osleidys Menendez, Yipsi Moreno and Valerie Vili.
ENNIS SHOW (7.95 AND 194)
GLASGOW (GBR, Jan 30): Great Britain won the Aviva International Match in Kelvin Hall with 63 points over USA (60). Third Germany had 51 ahead of Commonwealth select (49) and Sweden (30). Star of the day was heptathlon world champion Jessica Ennis. She beat reigning world indoor champion Lolo Jones at 60 m hurdles with new UK record and world leading 7.95 (Jones posted 7.97). Later she was second in high jump on count-back with world medalist Chaunte Howard of USA as both cleared 194. For Ennis another personal best. American David Oliver had the best time among men at 60 m hurdlers 7.58. Another British win for Christopher Tomlinson in long jump achieving 7.99m and beating Swede Michel Torneus 7.93m (South African favorite Godfrey Mokoena was a non-starter). Impressive women´s 60m victory went to favorite Carmelita Jeter in 7.19. German Bjorn Otto took the men´s pole vault victory clearing 5.50m in his first attempt and left British Luke Cutts behind with the same mark. The last attempt of Tosin Oke, brought him a victory in his new PB 16.73m. Jamaal Torrance (USA) was the fastest man at 400m finishing in 47.19 in very close fight with Richard Buck (GBR) in 47.26. Jenny Meadows took the clear victory at women´s 800m with 2:02.53. At the end Craig Pickering won men´s 60m in 6.66, beating Mark Jelks of USA (6.68) and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey with the same time. 800 m world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was beaten at 800 m (1:49.45) by German Robin Schembera (1:48.55). Former olympic winner Shawn Crawford was only fourth at 200 m (21.60, winner Leon Baptiste clocked 21.34). World medalist Lisa Dobriskey was second at 1500 m in 4:18.22, beaten by US Heidi Dahl (4:18.22). World medalist Novlene Williams of Jamaica was the best in the 400 m in 52.83.
KASYANOV 3656 AFTER FIRST DAY, TWO WORLD LEADS IN LONG JUMP
ZAPORIZHYA (UKR, Jan 30): Berlin fourth placer in decathlon Oleksiy Kasyanov had an excellent first day in heptathlon at Ukrainian Cup meet. He scored 3656 points and could not only attack his national record (6205 as second at last year European indoor championships) but also world class 6400 barrier. After 6.85 at 60 m he leaped to his overall best 804 in long jump, cleared 205 in high jump and got 15.15 in shot put (indoor best). His long jump mark is first ever indoors over 8 meters during a heptathlon. Olympic finalist in triple jump Viktor Kuznyetsov achieved in long jump world leading 805 and had also 801 in the series. Another world lead also in women long jump as Viktoriya Rybalko registered 669 cm. In women pentathlon Ganna Melnychenko scored 4373 points. Improvements in women 60 m as Olesya Povh clocked 7.23 to win the 60 m ahead of Mariya Ryemyen 7.26. 800 m specialist Yulia Krevsun won the 1500 m in 4:19.96. Lyudmila Shelest walked the 5000 m in 22:03.91.
SANCHEZ AGAIN WINNING AT 400 M HURDLES INDOORS
MONDEVILLE (FRA, Jan 30): Former world and olympic winner Felix Sanchez scored second win in France at unusual indoor 400 m hurdles with 50.31. He was this time pushed by Sebastien Maillard (50.62). German Hendrik Gruber cleared at International meet in Mondeville near Caen 561 in pole vault to win. Ukrainian Viktor Yastrebov leaped to 16.89 in triple jump. In sprints Austrian Ryan Moseley was the fastest at 60 m (6.73) and US Fred Townsend at 60 m hurdles (7.72, leader at third hurdle Jeff Porter had a collision with the winner). Another US win for Shantia Moss at 60 m hurdles with 8.19. Home Veronique Mang posted 7.31 at 60 m.
EATON WITH CR
COLLEGE STATION (USA, Jan 30): Oregon senior Ashton Eaton improved the Collegiate heptathlon record at the Texas A&M meet with 6256 points. He surpassed the Trey Hardee‘s 2006 mark of 6208 points set for Texas in 2006. Eaton‘s score is also the fifth-best in all-time in American history. His individual results: 6.78 – 766 – 12.56 – 207 – 7.86 – 496 – 2:38.02. As college athlete he is not aiming for World Indoors in Doha as during the same weekend the NCAA Championships will be held.
CLAY NH IN POLE VAULT
ALLSTON (USA, Jan 30): Olympic winner Bryan Clay did not had luck at Harvard Multis during second day. After solid 7.84 at 60 m hurdles he could not clear 465 in pole vault. Clay was still running the 1000 m in 2:59.08. His score with zero in pole vault was 5070 points. 2007 world medalist Maurice Smith of Jamaica totaled 5855 to win. Clay needs another mark if he wants to qualify for Doha or can hope to get one of the two wild cards available.
OTHER RESULTS
MOGILYOV (BLR, Jan 30): Excellent shot putting at Belarus National Indoor Cup. Former world champion Andrey Mikhnevich got 21.30 and Berlin 6th placer Pavel Lyzhyn improved his lifetime best to 21.12. Russian guest world champion Yaroslav Rybakov cleared 232 in high jump. New national record for Anastasiya Shvedova in pole vault who now represents Belarus (435). Solid also the women shot put as Yanina Pravalinskaya-Karolchyk achieved 18.78 and European junior champion from Novi Sad Alyona Hryshko bettered her best as second to 18.12.
TARTU (EST, Jan 30): During second meet of Estonian series (BIG Kuldliiga) Latvian shot put Olympian Maris Urtans improved his indoor best to 20.43 m. Another top Latvian athlete Stanislav Olijars achieved 7.73 to win the 60 m hurdles. Anders Raja and Mikk Pahapill scored in six events (without pole vault) 5160 and 5054 points during the first and second meet of the series.
PEANIA (GRE, Jan 30): At first local meet of Greek season Afroditi Skafida improved the national pole vault record by 1 cm to 441 cm. She also fulfilled so the Doha standard.
ZAGREB (CRO, Jan 30): New Croatian 60 m hurdles record by Ivica Grabusic with 7.69 time. He also won at local meet the flat 60 m in 6.75.
PRAGUE (CZE, Jan 30): At Prague City Championships Jan Kudlicka and Michal Balner cleared 555 in pole vault and Stanislav Sajdok posted solid 7.80 to win the 60 m hurdles.
VALENCIA (ESP, Jan 29): Another improvement for young Spanish runner David Bustos. At local meet he clocked 1:47.23 at 800 m.
VILNIUS (LTU, Jan 30): Sensational improvement at Club Championships by young high jumper Airine Palsyte (17) who cleared new national junior record 192 cm. She even tried at 197 cm. Palsyte is fourth placer from World Youth championships last year in Bressanone. Her best before Saturday was 185. Lina Grincikaite and Rytis Sakalauskas were the fastest with 7.37 and 6.77 at 60 m.
MAGGLINGEN (SUI, Jan 30): Lisa Urech achieved at local meet Doha qualifier and National U23 record at 60 m hurdles with 8.09.
ANCONA (ITA, Jan 30): Daniela Reina clocked new Italian best at 600 m with 1:27.75.
MALMO (SWE, Jan 30): Best Danish sprinter Martin Krabbe won here with solid 6.75 and wants to attack the Doha standard 6.69 at coming meetings.
PENZA (RUS, Jan 30): During first day of Russian Youth Indoor championships Bressanone sixth placer Yekaterina Bleskina improved the Russian Youth best at 60 m hurdles to 8.19 (76.2 cm). Natalya Demidenko won the pole vault with 410. She is coached by former mentor of Yelena Isinbayeva Yevgeniy Trofimov. Sensation in boys 60 m as 15 years old Dmitriy Sychev posted 6.84.
NAIROBI (KEN, Jan 30): Jane Mwikali won the women’s 8km race at the Kenya Prisons National Cross Country Championships at the Prisons Staff Training College in Ruiru on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital (28:59 at 8 km). Caroline Kwambai was second in 29:00. In the absence of defending men’s champion and former World marathon champion, Luke Kibet, the men’s 12km title fell to the in-form John Mwangangi who is on course for the KCB Kenya National Cross Country Series jackpot after good runs in the Machakos, Kapsokwony and Eldoret legs of the series. He clocked 27:12 at 12 km ahead of Silas Kiplagat (37:30).
OTHER NEWS
GLASGOW (GBR): World champion Jessica Ennis has told the BBC she will skip this year‘s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Ennis confirmed the Games clash with her winter training program. „October is a difficult time to peak and October is when I begin my winter training so we sat down and decided the main focus is the Europeans this year.“ Ennis said.
MINSK (BLR): Belarus news agency Belta informed that hearings were completed last week in case of hammer throwers Ivan Tikhon and Vadim Deviyatovskiy. Both are appealing their disqualification from Beijing Olympic Games at CAS in Lausanne. “Results are expected in spring,†Devyatovskiy was quoted.
COLORADO SPRINGS (USA): The doping ban of US 400 m runner Crystal Cox which includes also canceling of all her results since 2001 could cost the US team olympic gold medal from Athens 2004. She was running first leg in the 4×400 m heats. In the finals she was not selected. She is loosing her olympic gold, that is clear. If the whole team will be disqualified, gold would go to Russia, silver to Jamaica and bronze to Great Britain.
LONDON (GBR): IAAF informs that British coaching legend Wilf Paish, aged 77, passed away on Friday 29 January after a long illness. The coach to Tessa Sanderson, Britain’s 1984 Olympic Javelin Throw champion, Paish had a worldwide reputation. Middle distance runner Peter Elliott and Javelin Thrower Mick Hill were two of this other high profile pupils who also took global championship medals during their careers.
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