by Larry Eder
Yelena Isinbayeva, World Indoor Champs, Doha, Qatar, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Yelene Isinbayeva, per a story at Universalsports.com, will not be competing this summer…Christian Cantwell and his fellow thrower, Dan Taylor, will compete on May 29 at
the revived California Relays! Katie McGregor and Dan Browne are running the USA 25 km champs this weekend, in Grand Rapids, Katie ran a fine 10,000 meters at the Payton Jordan Invitational last weekend!
And do not be surprised if a new 25km world record happens at the Berlin 25k on Sunday! Don’t worry, we will have pictures!
May 7, 2010
KENYAN FAVORITES
PRAGUE (CZE): The Volkswagen
Prague Marathon was late off the mark in terms of international big city
marathons; but run through the baroque splendour of one of Europe’s most
beautiful capitals, with the start and finish in the dreamy Old Town Square, it
has become one of the most attractive fixtures on the marathon circuit, proof
of which is that over 50% of the 7500 entrants (25% up on last year) come from
abroad. Patrick Ivuti of Kenya returns to defend the title he won last year in
2.07.48, which took over a minute off the previous record, and was just
five seconds shy of his all-time best. A winner in Chicago 2007, in a heatwave,
Ivuti, 31 is likely to find more temperate conditions here, but the opposition,
particularly Yemane Tsegay of Ethiopia may be harder to fight. The fastest man
in a field which boats ten sub-2.10 men in Sammy Korir, whose 2.04.56 in Berlin 2003 was bettered
only by colleague Paul Tergat’s world record, a stride and a second
ahead. Korir was also the first man to clock up ten sub-2.09s, but is probably
past his best, which leaves another colleague Charles Kibiwott as next fastest,
at 2.06.52, and likely to be a closer contender. Race director, Carlo
Capalbo would dearly like to see a reappraisal of the women’s record,
despite it belonging to Italian compatriot Maura Viceconte, with her 2.26.33 in
2001. There are five women faster on paper, and the one most likely to set
that, if not in stone, then in writing for at least a year, is Helena Kirop
of Kenya, whose best is 2.24.54, in Dubai in January. Kirop is one of the more
unusual Kenyan athletes, woman or man. Along with husband Peter Lomuria,
a 2.13 marathoner, they have set up the Helena Kirop Foundation, an
educational charity dedicated to the nurturing of young girls from poor
families in their respective Turkana and Pokot tribal areas. With
a mission like that, it’s not simply her aggressive running that merits
her success. But that won’t stop veteran Lyubov Morgunova of Russian (2.25.12)
trying, nor indeed her compatriots, Alevtina Ivanova (2.26.38) and Larisa
Zyusko (2.26.26), nor Kirop’s colleague Rose Cheruiyot (2.25.48), nor yet the
Ethiopian pair, Ashu Kasim (2.25.49) and Eyerusalem Kuma (2.26.51).
KANTER CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY WITH SUPERB SERIES
CHULA VISTA (USA, May 6):
Estonian discus olympic winner Gerd Kanter celebrated his 31st birthday in
a right way. With a competition win and very good 69.83 m mark. His series
was superb with worst throw out of six having 68.56. The series: 68.74-69.73-69.83-69.55-68.56-
That is ending his US competitions and next for him are Diamond League in
Shanghai, then IAAF World Challenge in Hengelo and another Diamond League in
Rome. Dutch Eric Cadee had also excellent series and best 65.44 (worst of six
valid throws was 63.72). Third US Jarred Rome 64.93 and fourth Mart Israel of
Estonia (62.75). In B competition new lifetime best for Shot Put specialist
Russ Winger of USA with 62.47.
TOP NAMES AGAINST HOME STARS
BYDGOSZCZ (POL): Top Polish
athletes will be presented at jubilee 10th edition of Enea Cup in Bydgoszcz on
June 6 (EA Premium Meeting). But they will have it tough as the meet organizers
assembled excellent fields for them. For example olympic shot put winner Tomasz
Majewski will face US putters Reese Hoffa and Adam Nelson. Discus world
medalist Piotr Malachowski will meet with world champion Robert Harting. Hammer
world record holder Anita Wlodarczyk is to face with former world champion
Betty Heidler and former world record holder Tatyana Lysenko of Russia. Pole
vault world winner Anna Rogowska with Monika Pyrek will face Russian Svetlana
Feofanova. 2007 world medalist at 400
m hurdles Marek Plawgo will have strong opposition in
Felix Sanchez, Danny McFarlane and mainly in-shape olympic winner and current
world leader Angelo Taylor. Lolo Jones should be the star of 100 m hurdles and fastest
woman Carmelita Jeter is scheduled to run the 200 m. Men´s hammer will see
Szymon Ziolkowski against Krisztian Pars and Nicola Vizzoni. In total 250 athletes
from 35 countries are expected, total budget of the meet is around 600 000 USD
and live transmission is secured by Polish TV.
VLASIC FOR IDL
LONDON (GBR): Croatian high
jump world champion Blanka Vlasic is one of 14 ambassadors of IAAF Diamond League
and so is contracted to compete in all events with women high jump. The first
already next week in Doha. On the road to finals also Aviva London Grand Prix with women high jump
on Aug 13. Last year she won in Crystal Palace with 202 clearance. She might
attack the UK All-Comers record 205 of Kajsa Bergqvist in the same meet in
2006. Vlasic will jump in the DL also in Oslo, Rome, Paris, Stockholm and
Brussels. Outside that she plans to jump at four IAAF World Challenge Meetings
in Ostrava, Madrid, Berlin and Zagreb. Two main competitions for Croatia will
be European Championships in Barcelona and Continental Cup in her home-town
Split.
MULAUDZI VS. KAKI IN HENGELO
HENGELO (NED): FBK Games (IAAF
World Challenge meet) announced excellent men´s 800 m line-up. On May 30 in Hengelo current world
champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi will face double world indoor champion Abubaker Kaki
of Sudan. High quality Dutch trio headed by European champion Bram Som will use
the opportunity to get fast times in preparation for European Championships.
The other two are Rob Lathouwers and Arnoud Okken. Kaki was undefeated this
indoors and will return as title defender (1:43.10 in 2009). He might attack
the meet record of Wilfred Bungei 1:43.05 from 2003.
BIG 25 WITH RECORD AMBITIONS
BERLIN (GER): Three Kenyan
athletes will chase the world record at this weekend’s BIG 25 Berlin, Germany’s
oldest road race. In the women’s race Mary Keitany will use the BIG 25 as
a step up to her marathon debut either in Chicago or New York later this
year. Keitany, who won the Abu Dhabi half marathon in January, is more than
likely to break the world record that stands at 1:22.13. by Mizuki Noguchi.
Keitany’s main opponents will be Mare Dibaba and Pasalia Kipkoech. In the men’s
race Paul Kosgei is the current world record holder, his time of 1:12.45 was
run in Berlin in 2004, and he believes he could go sub 1:13. However his
strongest challenger will be fellow Kenyan Gilbert Kirwa, winner of Frankfurt
marathon. Keitany has been also awarded
one of the most highly coveted accolades in world road running, the AIMS/ASICS
World Athlete of the Year Award, during a ceremony on Thursday in Berlin.
AIMS Director Horst Milde presented the AIMS/ASICS Golden Shoe, to the first
Kenyan woman to win the award since compatriot Catherine Ndereba in 2001. The
AIMS/ASICS World Athlete of the Year Awards were founded in 1992 and are
decided each year from nominations made by the member races of the world body
The Association of International Marathons & Distance Races (AIMS). The
membership totals some 300 races in over 90 countries covering every continent
of the world. Mary Keitany comments: “It is a fantastic feeling to be
honoured in this way, and to join a list of such esteemed winners is very
special indeed and a great source of inspiration to me. I would just
like to say thank you to AIMS, ASICS and everyone involved. I am happy to
be here in Berlin and I am looking forward to taking part in the 25K
event.”
CANTWELL HELPS CALIFORNIA RELAYS
SACRAMENTO (USA): World champion in shot putter Christian
Cantwell will help re-establish the California Invitational Relays on May 29 at
Hughes Stadium on the Sacramento City College campus. His group-mate Dan Taylor
will be also there. The California Invitational Relays moved to Sacramento in
2008 following a 67-year run in Modesto. The 2009 event was not held to
give organizers more time to work out the logistics of the move. Informs www.trackandfieldnews.com.
BAALA INJURED
PARIS (FRA): French middle
distance record holder Mehdi Baala is again hampered in preparation for summer
season. It is painful ankle sprain which was also his problem early summer last
year. That means he will not return to the competition until late June. Informs
www.lavoixdessports.com.
OTHER NEWS
ROTTERDAM (NED): The Rotterdam
Half Marathon and the Rotterdam on wheels race, originally scheduled for
September 12th, will disappear from the calendar. The organisation is unable to
find the necessary support to successfully organise the event.
KINGSTON (JAM): Junior distance
runners Kemoy Campbell and Natoya Goule of Jamaica, might not run at the adidas
Grand Prix in New York, the fifth stop of the Diamond League, June 12. Because
of the same day of the National Junior trials serve as qualifiers for the World
Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada (19-25 July) and CAC Junior
Championships in Santo Domingo, DR (2-4 July). Informs trackalerts.com.
INDIANAPOLIS (USA): Dan Browne
and Katie McGregor will lead the fields at the USA 25 km Championships in Grand
Rapids, held on May 8, which are the second stop at the 2010 USA Running
Circuit (USARC). Challenging Browne for the title will be Brett Gotcher, Andrew
Carlson and Jason Hartmann. In the women’s race, McGregor will face Sally
Meyerhoff, Samia Akbar, Alvina Begay, Dot McMahan and Emily Mortensen. Informs
campaign.constantcontact.com.
PORT OF SPAIN (TRI): The
International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) have made the
selections for the 1st Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, in August 14-26,
featuring 3,500 athletes competing in 26
sports, said trackalerts.com. Carifta gold medalists Kenisha Spann, Gabriella
Cumberbatch and Darvin Sandy have been named to represent Trinidad and Tobago.
NAIROBI (KEN): Kenya already
failed in 16 disciplines for representation at this year’s Youth Olympics in
Singapore, but will try again to rely on track and field to get qualification
for their athletes. Kenya’s hopes for medals rests with the track team at the
Khartoum Sudan, where are the Eastern Zone qualifiers, wrote nation.co.ke.
MOSCOW (RUS): Yelena Isinbayeva
of Russia, has decided to take the summer off before her return to competition
in 2011. While that time she will be an ambassador for the Youth Olympics,
alongside with the swimmer Michael Phelps. „I need to find the spark again
mentally. Maybe I am tired emotionally and need some rest. I don’t
want to continue like this. I don’t want to lose face.” said Isinbayeva
for universalsports.com.
LONDON (GBR): The London 2012
LOC will reconsider the ban on volunteers under 18. After complaints from
teenagers keen on getting involved with the London Olympics, the LOC will look
into opportunities for those under 18 who are willing to help. Organisers will
be recruiting 70,000 volunteers for the Games writes The Guardian.
RESULTS
BUENOS AIRES (ARG, May 6):
Argentinean throwers showed good shape at South American Grand Prix meet on
their home soil. Jennifer Dahlgren got 70.16 to win the hammer, Rocio Comba
achieved in women discus 58.10. German Lauro won the shot put with 19.64 but
was defeated in discus (60.19) by Brazilian record holder Ronald Odair (60.66).
Javelin super talent and world youth best holder Braian Toledo tested his shape
in period of training with 79.58 (700
g). World class triple jumper Jadel Gregorio of Brazil
leaped to 16.86. Argentinean steeple record holder Rosa Godoy came close to her
3000 flat best with 9:13.65 win.
BARQUISIMETO (VEN, May 5): At
Torneo Internacional Maximo Villoria fast 400 m by Gustavo Cuesta of Dominican Republic
who improved his best to 45.78. Cuban Carlos Veliz won the shot put (19.84).
PALERMO (ITA, May 5): Italian
Simona LaMantia achieved her first 14+ triple mark since 2006. At local meet
her 14.24 (+1.2) means also European lead 2010.
