by Larry Eder
How will Mike Rodgers do? He ran well in the first round, only time will tell! Photo from Rbk BIG, Feb 2010, by PhotoRun.net.
Picture about 100 Ethiopians up in the high stands, waving flags, singing, dancing and cheering on their countrymen and women! Rest of the crowd pretty polite!
Men’s 60 meters, round 1
Trell Kimmons of the US won the first heat in 6.61. Samuel Francis of Qatar moved on, running 6.63, with Abraham Morlu and Masashi Eriguchi of Japan also moving to the next round!
Dwain Chambers ran 6.59 in second heat to move on. Ogho-Oghene Egwere of Nigeria ran 6.73 for second, with Ibrahim Kabia was final qualifier from the second heat. Chambers won the British Trials, this year, and is still a persona non grata in European athletics after his book from last year, but most of all, because he served his time for a positive test.
Brian Mariano of Netherland/Antilles won the third heat in 6.66, with Barkat Mubarak Al-Harti of Oman, taking second in 6.69, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey of Great Britain, who looks as wide as an entire rugby scrum, in third in 6.72. Aleksandr Vashurkin of Russia was fourth in 6.75.
Mike Rodgers, of the U.S., won his heat in 6.69, running a relaxed run from lane 8. Rodney Green was second in 6.74 and Ronald Pognon, the European record holder, was third in 6.73.
Angel David Rodriguez of Spain won heat 5, with a time of 6.67. Nesta Carter of Jamaica was second in 6.69. Vicente De Lima of Brazil was third in 6.75. Roman Smirnov of Russia was fourth in 6.75.
Ryan Moseley of Austria ran 6.76 in heat six. Pascal Mancini of Switzerland was second in 6.77 and Churandy Martina of Netherland Antilles was third in 6.77.
Daniel Bailey won heat 7 in 6.70. Reza Ghasemi of Iran was second in 6.78, and Peter Emelieze of Nigeria was third in 6.78.
My picks: Mike Rodgers, Dwain Chambers, Churandy Martina, with Trell Kimmons to spoil. Just do not know enough about Trell, and Churandy is still not a happy camper about loosing medal on line violation!
Women’s 60m hurdles, first round
The 60 meter hurdles is such a fast and difficult event. At this level, the difference between doing well and over doing it, or falling, is, well very little.
No surprises in this first round. Pricilla Lopes-Schliep of Canada had hte fastest time of 7.94. LoLo Jones had the second fastest in winning her heat in 7.95! Ginnie Powell won her heat in 8.07. Perdita Felician, of Canada, finished third in her heat in 8. 04.
My turn: This is a race between Lopes Schleip and LoLo Jones, with Perdita Felician and Ginny Powell to spoil.
Men’s heptathlon, Indoor
Bryan Clay threw the shot 15.31m, for 809 points to take the lead back in the Heptathlon, 2690 to Oleksy Kasyanov’s 2675, where he threw the shot 14.55 for 762 points. Aleksey Drozdov of Russia in 2661 (he thre the shot for 17.71m or 924 points. Trey Hardee is in fourth at 2591.
The heptathlon’s next event is the high jump!
Women’s 1,500 m rounds
heat 1
Tough rounds in the women’s 1,500 meters! Gelete Burka of Ethiopia took it out, hitting the 200m in 34.17, the 400 meters in 68.41, 600m in 1:43.25 and 800 meters in 2:17.96. Just before the 800 meters, Irene Jelegat went down. The Kenyan got up, and moved back quickly, perhaps, too quickly into the field.
Running behind Burka was Russia’s Anna Alminova, who remarkably relaxed. Running from fifth to fourth, very well, was Sarah Bowman, the U.S. runner.
Burka took the field through 1,000m in 2:50.97, and the top five started to seperate. As Gelete Burka takes the runners past 3:24.08, the race broke open. Burka began to fly around the final lap, as Alminova took off and Bowman got by Clitheroe and that was that!
Burka won the first round in 4:12.08, Anna Alminova was second in 4:12.50 and Sarah Bowman ran the best race of her life, running a personal best of 4:12.91 indoors! In fourth Helen Clitheroe, the British steeple record holder, ran 4:13.97 and also qualified for the semi-finals!
heat 2
Natalia Kareiva of Belarus lead the race, hitting the 200 m in 32.78, 400 m in 66.4, 600m in 1:40.07 and 800m in 2:13.92. After 800meters, Kalkidan Gezehegne, who ran so well (junior mile best) in Birmingham at AVIVA Grand Prix.
Gezehegne did it the right way. She got up and started running. Natalia Rodriguez of Spain hit the 1,000m at 2:47.53. Gezehegne continued to move up through the crowd, as Rodriguez lead the field through 1,200 meters (3:20.50) and 1,400 meters (3:52.79). Kalkidan Gezahegne took control with less than 100 meters to go and won, in 4:08.91. Natalia Rodriguez of Spain kept second in 4:09.19, with Sylwia Ejdys of Poland in third in 4:09.23. Running a gutty race, in fourth, was Erin Donahue, who ran 4:10.12 (her personal best). Natalia Kareiva of Belarus finished fifth in 4:12.91.
Gezahegne had this to say, after her falling down, then winning the race! ” Accidently, I fell down and hurt my left knee. It was unexpected incident, but I decided to continue the race. The crowd supported me a lot, and thanks to good training, I was able to finish. The final is unpredictable and I will do my best. I think that Gelete Burka is my biggest rival but she is also my friend.”
My take: Battle between Burka and Gezahegne. If Bowman holds together, she might be able to sneak in for a medal!
Two American women make the finals! Nice job!
Men’s 1,500 meters
heat 1
Christian Klein of Germany had lead, 29.81 for 200m and 59.61 for 400meters. Alvaro Rodriguez of Spain lead at 600 meters in 1:29.84, 800 meters in 1:59.46, 1,000 meters in 2:29.13, and 1,200 meters in 2:58.62.
Amine LaaLou of Morocco moved up through the front pack and took off with 300 meters to go, leading at 1,400 meters in 3:26.41. Amine LaaLou of Morocco won the first heat in 3:39.96. Running nearly as tough a run was Juan Van Deventer of South Africa, who grabbed second in 3:40.07!
heat 2
Deresse Mekonnen of Ethiopia controlled this race from step one to the final steps.
Mekonnen, the defending champ, hit 200 in 30.18, 400 m in 61.42, 800m in 2:01.31, with 1,000m in 2:30.31.
Running with Mekonnnen was Diego Ruiz of Spain and Haron Keitany of Kenya, with Will Leer of the US and Tim Bailey following Peter Van Der Westhuizen of South Africa.
As Mekonnen pushed through 1200 meters in 2:58.09, Leer and Bayley went by Van Der Westhuizen. Leer then passed Bayley and went after Keitany, who had dropped from second to third! Diego Ruiz pushed his way into second.
Mekonnen won in 3:39.66. Diego Ruiz of Spain held on for second in 3:40.00, and Haron Keitany of Kenya took third in 3:40.04.
Will Leer of the U.S. ran a strong race, hitting 3:42.16 for fourth, but just could not catch Keitany!
heat 3
Abdalaati Iguider won this one, taking the race in 3:37.14, the fastest of the day. Mekonnen Gebremedhin (who finished second in 3:38.90) hit the 800 meters in 1:57.33 and 1,000 meters in 2:26.45, and was still leading at the 1,200 meters in 2:55.83, just as Mekonnen went by, to take the win.
What no one was thinking about was the inspired run of Garrett Heath, who kept his wits about him, stayed in the race, and turned it on the last lap, running a personal best of 3:39.25 to move onto the final, taking third place. In fourth was Mahledine Mekhissi-Benabadd, who ran 3:39.63!
A great series of 1,500 meter runs!
I am heading to grab some dinner, will write up rest upon my return!
Watch for our coverage of the 3,000m rounds, pole vault women qualifying, 60m hurdles men & women!
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