by Larry Eder
Photo of Usain Bolt, by PhotoRun.net
Bolt continues to impress, with his 9.79 from last night. Many are waiting on what Yohan Blake and Tyson Gay run on Saturday. And, Quite frankly, the women’s sprints at the adidas Grand Prix should be amazing.
BOLT IS THE KING, PEARSON IS THE QUEEN, OKPARAEBO THE DARLING AND VESELY THE SUCCESSOR OF HIS COACH
OSLO (NOR, Jun 7): Another great edition of Exxon Mobil Bislett Games with 15 400 full house. 5 world leads and 3 meet records, also one continental mark. It was not all about the Bolt-Powell duel which was the expected highlight. Favorites delivered, some winning streakes of summer season 2012 are continuing. And Pearson. She can go very fast at next meetings, here she still felt her long journey from Down Under. And home win was also there in women 100 m.
Event by event reviews
Men
100 m: Bolt wins and sub 9.80 is always great, and it was the fastest ever in Bislett. Powell despite season fastest (and well underway until 85 m) was second 9.85.
Mile: Kiprop confirmed his status this year, is unbeaten in this department and clocked a world lead. At trials no doubling for him. Junior Driouch of Qatar 8th in 3:50.90 is now 8th best junior ever.
5000 m: New generation of Ethiopians: Gebremeskel, Gebrehiwot PB. Third Merga still over Bekeles.
400mH: Culson delivers first years sub 48 and remains unbeaten. And without any trials can now prepare for the Games in all quiet.
PV: Lavillenie had a tough moment at 572 but managed and is also unbeaten so far this summer.
TJ: Adams debuted at SDL with a win, but the runway was little bit short for the jumpers and they could not go further.
SP: Majewski after four 2nd places this season finally a win, no Americans here.
JT: Vesely won at the stadium where his famous coach was also succesfull. And with big personal best and world lead 88.11.
Women
100 m: The only non-DL event in the main programme brought the wanted Norwegian win for Okparaebo in head-wind over Caribbean and US sprinters.
200 m: Ahoure showed she can also run the 200 m at high level. New national mark for the Texas based African sprinter. But she will decide in London about the longer sprint only after the shorter one. Oyepitan EL 22.71.
400 m: Montsho wanted a PB, but would need closer rivalry for that. Second Jamaican Hall improved to 50.71.
1500 m: Aregawi, the new face of the women middle distances, beat again Genzebe Dibaba. Who can beat her? Let s wait for the Russians. Mishchenko 4:03.33 EL.
Steeple: Great run by Chemos, not only meet record and world lead but also African record. Now she believes she can attack the world record.
100mH: Pearson started in Europe where she ended in Australia: at 12.49. After long flight and also heats here top mark and equaled her own world lead and sets new meet record. She will be only faster now, 3 more races before the games. Second Castlin PR 12.56.
HJ: The mother Lowe beat another mother Hellebaut. The American is a frequent traveller, Friday morning to Torino to jump in the evening. She needs the competitions, was her explanation of the tough schedule.
LJ: Kucherenko is the top Russian gun now, too strong wind for winning mark (696, +2.6). She beat also Eugene winner Proctor. Second Sokolova had legal 686, 684 and 682.
DT: Perkovic is unbeaten, and won her third DL meet, very close now to overall win. She was tired from Eugene and so satisfied with nearly 65 meters.
National races: Great display of shape of UK runners here: Levine 45.11 at 400 m, Warburton 1:44.98 at 800 m, impressive also 3:33,26 by Algerian Makhloufi who has big plans for olympics.
DUNCAN 22.19 WL
DES MOINES (USA, Jun 7): World leading 200 m by Kimberlyn Duncan in the heats 22.19 (+1.9) highlighted the second day of NCAA Championships (also PB) but also the men´s high jump where Erik Kynard improved to 234 lifetime best ahead of Canadian Derek Drouin 231. From the finals also to note the javelin win by Tim Glover 81.69 PB. Kurt Felix of Grenada was the best in decathlon with national record 8062 points ahead of French Romain Martin 7956. Fifth junior Gunnar Nixon with 7892 improved the North American junior record. In women finals Whitney Gipson dominated the long jump with 682 (+2.4) and legal PB of 680 (+1.4). Natosha Rogers was the best in the 10 000 m 32:41.63 lifetime best. From heats still to note in men´s 200 m windy 20.23 by Maurice Mitchell (+2.4), in hurdles Wayne Davis of Trinidad achieved also windy 13.26 (+2.2) and Jamaican Andrew Riley legal 13.30 (+1.8). In women heats Bridgette Owens achieved the fastest 12.71 (+1.7). In 4×400 m relays heats the fastest men of Penn State 3:01.52 and women of LSU 3:28.01.
GREAT SPANISH RESULTS
HUELVA (ESP, Jun 7): The 8th Meeting Iberoamericano (EA Classic) saw as usual great distances and mainly by home runners. Alvaro Rodriguez won the 1500 m in 3:34.47 over David Bustos 3:34.77 PB and Cuban Maurys Castillo 3:35.03 NR. In the steeple Victor Garcia improved to 8:15.20, second Hamid Ezzine of Morocco 8:16.93 and third Abdelaziz Merzogui 8:18.03 PB. Antonio Reina won the 800 m in 1:45.58 beating Kevin Lopez also 1:45.58. 2009 World champion Marta Dominguez was second in her first steeple race since 2010 European Championships with very solid 9:24.26. Winner Etenesh Diro of Ethiopia achieved 9:21.54. Fast women 1500 m was won by Kenyan Mary Wangari who clocked not only personal best but also meet record 4:03.87. Second German Diana Sujew 4:07.35 and olympic winner Nancy Lagat in her return 14th 4:18.55. In men´s 5000 m Kenyan Alex Korir got 13:08.59 ahead of Josphat Kiprono 13:10.55 and third Briton Nick McCormick 13:18.81 personal best. British win in 100 m for James Dasaolu 10.36 (-0.9), Polish win for Damian Kusiak in the shot put (19.63) and Czech win for Lenka Masna in the 800 m 2:01.38. Men´s 400 m hurdles saw confirmation of shape by Australian Tristan Thomas 49.37 beating Belgian Michel Bultheel 49.86 and first sub 50 ever for Estonian Rasmus Magi 49.98.
OTHER RESULTS
RHEDE (GER, Jun 7): At traditional meeting as usual good long jumping. South African Zarck Visser leaped to 812 (-0.8) ahead of Yun Zhiming of China 809 (+1.4). In women long jump also good 660 (-0.7) for Mayookha Johny of India. Good women javelin for Li Lingwei of China 62.50 PB ahead of Linda Stahl 62.23 and Asian record holder Lu Huihui 61.31. Botswana scored two solid wins, Isaac Makwala 45.89 in the 400 m and junior Nijel Amos 1:46.27 in the 800 m. In close finish at 200 m South African Thuso Mpuang clocked 20.78 (-0.1) over German Alex-Platini Menga 20.79.
LJUBLJANA (SLO, Jun 7): At 7th Sustersic and Cvetan Memorial (also part of National GP series) Croatian Marin Premeru improved in the shot put to 20.27. Good triple jumping by home stars, Marija Sestak windy 14.27 (+5.7) and legal 14.18 (+0.7) ahead of Snezana Rodic 14.20 (+0.7). Mohamed Al-Zankawi of Kuweit won the hammer 75.28 and Serbian Emir Bekric 49.89 at 400 m hurdles.
INDIANAPOLIS (USA, Jun 6): At first of series of American Miler’s Club meetings Canadian Geoff Harris clocked 1:46.35 in the 800 m and British veteran Anthony Whiteman as 5th again improved 40+ World Masters Record to 1:48.22. Briton Kris Gauson won in 3:39.87 the 1500 m.
RAASEPORI (FIN, Jun 7): Teemu Wirkkala got here season best in javelin 83.73 m. It is second best mark by a Finnish javelin thrower this year.
ST. POLTEN (AUT, Jun 7): At Liese Prokop Memorial Briton Conrad Williams won the 400 m with 45.54 beating Israeli Donald Sanford 46.04. Solid dis
cus by Hungarian Robert Fazekas 64.58, but the best from Austrian point of view was Beate Schrott with fast 12.99 (-0.2) at 100 m hurdles. Russian Yekaterina Voronenkova clocked two sprints personal bests 11.35 (+0.8) and 23.28 (+0.8) and canadian Karine Belleau-Beliveau also PB 2:02.04.
