by Larry Eder
Haile Gebrselassie expressing himself, photo by London2017
And so it is, Doha 2017 and London 2017 are fighting for one World Championships. Rumors were rampant last week that the IAAF had quietly decided to give one 2017 and one 2019. The IAAF shot that down over the weekend and noted that London and Doha, both very good bids, would be bidding on one World Championships.
Andreas Thorkildsen was announced as in favor of Doha’s bid weeks ago. Haile Gebrselassie has come out in favor of the London 2017 bid. More to come….
ONLY 2017 WORLDS WILL BE AWARDED
LONDON
(GBR): Insidethegames writes that the IAAF will not award the 2017 and
2019 World Championships simultaneously even though they admit that Doha
and London are among two of the strongest bids they have ever received.
There had been speculation that the IAAF ruling Council would give the
2017 event to one of the bidders and 2019 to the other. “I don’t think
we would do that in a case like this. We have not opened 2019 for other
bidders and there may be some very good cities that would have wanted to
go for 19 and feel they didn’t have the opportunity to do that because
we didn’t allow them too,” IAAF Senior VIP Bob Hersh was quoted as
saying. He admitted that the Council face a difficult choice in choosing
the winning city, with London promising record sold-out crowds in the
Olympic Stadium and Doha offering the opportunity of the event being
staged in the Middle East for the first time.
HAILE SUPPORTING LONDON 2017
LONDON
(GBR): Ethiopian endurance running legend Haile Gebrselassie, has been
unveiled as an official bid ambassador and member of the Athlete
Commission for London’s bid to host the 2017 IAAF World Athletics
Championships. The prolific Olympic and World gold medalist will draw on
his years of competing at world level to provide valuable insight from
his experiences as an athlete in guiding London’s bid and advising the
Commission led by Denise Lewis. Haile Gebrselassie said: “I have
competed and trained in London for many years and always had great
support from the public and the athletics family in the UK. I am
planning to compete in London in 2012 and by being part of the extended
bid team hope to enable future Ethiopian athletes to have the same great
experiences in the Olympic stadium in front of a London crowd in 2017.”
The bid website informs.
GREAT PLANS FOR GILL
AUCKLAND
(NZL): Trackandfieldnews website informs that New Zealand shot put
super talent and World Youth Champion Jacko Gill is having plans how to
end the competition year 2011. He’s planning three competitions in
early- to mid-December, just prior to his 17th birthday. At the first he
will attempt to better his 20.01 youth all-time best with the senior
implement, maybe attacking 20.50 or even 21 m. The second Saturday he
will go after the World Junior Record with the 6kg 22.73 by David Storl
and thinks he can go close to 23 meters. On the third Saturday he will
attempt to improve his world under-18 record with the 5kg which is
currently 24.35 from winning his world youth title in Lille last summer.
As matter of interest Tomasz Majewski achieved with 5 kg at Skolimowska
Memorial 24.88 and Dylan Armstrong at the same meet with 6 kg 23.26 m.
MERRITT THINKS INDOORS
ATLANTA
(USA): After recieving last week the big news that he will be able (if
qualified) to defend his olympic gold in London LaShawn Merritt is also
thinking about competing indoors in 2012. Confirms his agent Kimberly
Holland. World Indoor Championships in Istanbul might be an option. He
last time ran indoors the 400 m in 2007 with 45.17, but clocked in 2005
44.93 what is world junior all-time best and might be first world indoor
junior record when the basic list will be published early next year. He
ran his last race of 2011 in Dubnica, Slovakia with 45.75 meet record.
Merritt ends the year as ranked number 3 in the world by
All-Athletics.com behind Kirani James and Jermaine Gonzales despite
starting to compete only late end of July.
OTHER NEWS
(GER): Former European indoor medalist and 827 cm long jumper
Konstantin Krause is working succesfully in marketing area. On behalf of
IMG he will be responsible for the marketing of soccer Bundesliga club
FC Rot-Weiss Erfurt. He also competed at Olympics 1992.
NASSAU (BAH):
After an extensive European tour since winning a bronze medal in the
men’s high jump at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea,
Bahamian high jumper Trevor Barry is back home. The only Bahamian to
secure a medal at last month’s championships was greeted by a number of
dignitaries at the Lynden Pindling International Airport last week. He
also shared the special moment with his parents, Queenie and Charles
Barry. “I am so happy for him because I know his desire,” said his proud
mother. “I’m so happy that he has achieved this because it will only
help him to achieve even greater things.” He noted that his performance
was just the tip of the iceberg as he will be preparing for the 15th
IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, March 9-11 and the
Olympic Games in London, England, July 27 to August 12. Still nursing a
toe injury he sustained in his last meet in Dubnica, Slovakia, Barry
said he will skip the trip to the Pan American Games in Guadalajara,
Mexico, October 14-30. Instead, he will be returning to the US where he
will be gearing up for another important trip as he is all set to be
married on November 4. Informs Bahamian media.
LONDON (GBR):
Athletics Weekly informs that Athletes manager and former England
Athletics team manager Ian Ladbrooke has apologised to his creditors
after his sizeable debts were exposed on an internet blog. The British
agent admits to having accrued debts of around $330,000 in his dealings
as an agent and as a director and elite athlete co-ordinator for races
which have included IAAF Gold Label events. Ladbrooke told AW last week
that plans to remortgage his house in order to meet half his debts had
been scuppered when he had lost large contracts with England Athletics
and the Ras Al Khaimah Half-marathon in the UAE in the light of the
exposé. The former coach and agent to world marathon record-holder
Patrick Makau admitted: “I’ve made a mess of things and I’ve got debts.
I’m not denying that and I’m sincerely apologetic and I’m doing what I
can to try to resolve the situation.”
BERLIN (GER):
1992 Olympic winner at 5000 m Dieter Baumann is still running. At the
Sunday´s Berlin Grand 10 km he clocked 31:54 and was classified as
number 19 at age of 46.
LONDON (GBR):
London 2012 and Atos, the worldwide information technology partner for
the Olympic and Paralympic Games, will officially unveil the Technology
Operations Centre – the mission control for all 94 Olympic competition
and non-competition venues. The launch follows the first phase of the
London Prepares Series, during which the London 2012 technology team
together with Atos, the lead integrator and the other technology
partners have worked in partnership to deliver the IT for all the test
events. For the London 2012 Games, Atos expects to process 30 per cent
more results data than in Beijing in 2008 ensuring the world’s media
meets the increasing demand of fans for information as it happens. With
8.5 billion PCs, smart phones and tablets predicted to be connected to
the internet by 2012, London is set to be the biggest smart Games ever.
Informs insidethegames.
PORT OF SPAIN
(TRI) : Trinidad and Tobago sprinter Kelly-Ann Baptiste returns to her
homecountry and is expected to be celebrated following her bronze medal
performance in the 100m at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu. The
Florida-based sprinter will the hosted by the National Association of
Athletic Administration (NAAA) at a function at the Hyatt Regency hotel
in Port-of-Spain on Wednesday and will then travel to Tobago where the
celebrations are expected to continue. Baptiste is from Tobago and is
the third athlete from island to win a World Senior Championships medal
following the bronze medals won by Josanne Lucas (400m hurdles) and
Renny Quow (400m) at the 2009 World Champs in Berlin, Germany writes
Trackalerts.com.
NEW YORK
(USA): Grenadian Prime Minister Tillman Thomas has announced that his
government, in its commitment to sports development in the Spice Island,
will be re-building the country’s lone athletics stadium in due course.
He spoke to the audience during a function in New York to honour
Grenadian athletes who participated at the 13th IAAF World Championships
in Daegu, South Korea reports Trackalerts.com.
EL PASO (USA):
Nigerian born sprinter Blessing Okagbare is in doubt wether to stay in
El Paso and train under Leon Settle or to move to Los Angeles to train
with world class coach John Smith. Okagbare will make her decision in
the coming weeks after she recovers from a surgery on her tibia. In an
article with menafm.com she
added her goal for 2012 is to make the top 3 at the Olympic Games in
both the 100m and long jump. In another recent development Trindad´s
olympic medalist Richard Thompson went to train with John Smith in LA.
MARATHON FLASH-BACK
CHICAGO/EINDHOVEN
(USA/NED): Stats from Ken Nakamura which are showing that in 2011 we
will be most probably registering the best year for marathon at least
from stats point of view. Lilya Shobukhova ran fastest marathon for 33
years old (previous record 2:19:36 by Deena Kastor). Shobukhova became
the 12th woman to go under 2:20 for the marathon and with her 33 years
is the oldest to do so. She is also the third woman to run under 2:20 in
the current season, which ties the record from 2003. Shobukhova’s top 5
performance average is 2:21:05, third behind Radcliffe (2:18:04) and
Ndereba (2:20:11). Ejegayehu Dibaba ran the third fastest debut time in
history behind Radcliffe (2:18:56) and Naoko Sakamoto (2:21:45). J.
Kipchumba, N. Kipkosgei and M. Kipyego became 80, 81 and 82nd runner,
respectively, to go under 2:07 in the marathon. Then in Chicago, Wesley
Korir and Bernard Kipyego became 83, 84th runner, respectively to dip
below 2:07. Kipyego is also the fifth runner with sub 27 in the track 10
000 m, sub 60 in half-marathon and sub 2:07 marathon. Jafred Kipchumba
became the 29th runner to go under 2:06 for the marathon in Eindhoven.
Three course records in Holland (Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Eindhoven) are
below 2:06. USA (Boston & Chicago) and Germany (Berlin &
Frankfurt) has two sub-2:06 course records. With 2:05:48 by Kipchumba in
Eindhoven, the number of sub-2:06 runner for the year is 10, which ties
2010 for the most ever. With 2:05 performances by Kipchumba in
Eindhoven and Mosop in Chicago, the number of sub-2:06 performances is
record tying 12 this year. Eindhoven marathon course record is now 12th
fastest in the World. Chicago marathon course record is now 8th fastest
(up from 9).
NAIROBI (KEN):
In the light of Moses Mosop win in Chicago it was revealed from Kenya
that although they are not divorced, the best marathon couple lives
separated. Mosop moved out of their family house in Iten last month and
is living alone and training near Eldoret. Berlin marathon winner
Florence Kiplagat is also now living alone in the Iten home with their
two children.
CHICAGO (USA):
New this year, the Let’s Run Together Charity Relay, featuring 13
selected runners and celebrity team captains Hope Solo, Abby Wambach and
Alex Morgan of the women’s U.S. soccer team, completed the 26.2-mile
distance, each running approximately two miles a piece. Bank of America
contributed $5,000 to each of the members’ charity of choice.
Additionally, Air Force Captain William Boland won the first-ever Bank
of America Chicago Marathon satellite race in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Captain Boland will be invited to participate in the 2012 Bank of
America Chicago Marathon as an elite athlete, and Army Captain John
Zimmerman, the driving force and director of the satellite race will be
welcomed as a VIP guest.In its 34th year and a member of the World
Marathon Majors, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon annually attracts
45,000 participants, and an estimated 1.7 million spectators. As a
result of its national and international draw, each year, the iconic
race assists in raising millions for a variety of charitable causes
while generating $170 million in economic impact to its host city
according to a report by the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign’s Regional Economics Applications Laboratory
(R.E.A.L.).
BUDAPEST
(HUN): Chicago jumped into 3rd place in the marathon All-Athletics.com
rankings behind leader London and second Berlin. In separate men ranking
Chicago is number five (top four London, Berlin, Boston, Rotterdam) and
in seperate women even better number four behind London, Dubai and
Berlin. The second best race of the weekend in Eindhoven is positioned
at number 8 in 2011. More at www.all-athletics.com.
RESULTS
BUENOS
AIRES (ARG, Oct 8): South American record holder Jennifer Dahlgren
showed her medal aspirations for coming Pan-Am Games when achieving at a
local meet good quality 72.44 in the hammer. Athletics at Pan-Am Games
begins on October 23. Only Cuban Yipsi Moreno has a better mark this
year from entered athletes for the games in hammer.
GOYANG (KOR,
Oct 8-9): The 92nd National Sports Festival started with solid sprints
for Worlds relay participant Yeo Hu-Su-Ah 10.45 (+0.1) and 20.88 PB
(+0.5). Park Tae-Kyong achieved 13.71 (0.0) at 110 m hurdles. Fast 20 km
walk for Daegu 6th placer Kim Hyun-Sub 1:21:35. Marathon wins for Cho
Keun-Hyung 2:18:52 and Chang Jin-Sook 2:38:08.
PETERBOROUGH (GBR, Oct 9): Edwin Kiptoo won the Great Eastern Run in 1:02:28, women´s winner Liz Yelling clocked 1:12:14.
RENNES (FRA, Oct
9): Fast road races at 30th Tout Rennes Court. Philemon Limo achieved in
the 10 km 27:42 ahead of Ethiopian Abera Kuma 28:10. Margaret Muriuki
was the best in women 5 km 15:29 with Ethiopian Genet Yalew beeing
second in 15:36.
BOSTON (USA,
Oct 9): Clear skies and a starting time temperature of 67 degrees
greeted an event record 5,253 runners at the 11th Annual Boston Half
Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund.
Ethiopian Ali Abdosh (1:03:36) and Janet Cherobon-Bawcom a Kenyan
representing USA (1:11:58) took the titles, though their respective
races unfolded under opposing circumstances. Second Sam Chelanga clocked
1:03:41 ahead of Gilbert Okari 1:03:48 and Samuel Ndereba 1:04:01.
Organizers are informing on their website.
YAMAGUCHI
(JPN, Oct 9): National Sports Festival third day saw Isamu Fujisawa
winning the 10 000 m walk in 40:13.62 and junior Takumi Saito as fourth
improving the national junior record to 40:44.70. Hiroki Ogita cleared
550 to win the pole vault. Saeko Okayama leaped to 650 (+1.0) in the
long jump.
AVILA (ESP,
Oct 9): Manuel Olmedo won the 18th road mile here in 4:27 beating his
national team colleagues. Second Juan Carlos Higuero 4:27 and third
Arturo Casado 4:30. Women winner was Iris Fuentes-Pila in 5:11 ahead of
Isabel Macias 5:12.
VICTORIA (CAN,
Oct 9): New course records at 32nd Victoria Marathon for winning
Kenyans. Thomas Omwenza achieved 2:14:33 and Lucy Njeri clocked 2:37:56.
In total 11 417 participants were registered.
PETROZAVODSK (RUS, Oct): In the 32nd Silver javelin special meet Valeriy Yordan won with 77.10 m.
MOSCOW
(RUS, Oct 9): 8th Memorial Dmitriy Simonov CC race in the recreational
area Bitsa near Moscow saw European steeple junior champion Ilgizar
Safiulin winning the 6 km in 17:56. In women race Nadezhda Trilinskaya
clocked new course record 19:53. Second Yekaterina Shlyakhova 20:25 was
beating Oksana Belyakova 20:41 and Lyubov Morgunova 20:49.
