by Larry Eder
BOLT AT ROLAND GARROS
PARIS (FRA): World sprinting star Usain Bolt will be a special guest on Sunday at Roland Garros French Open tennis tournament. Bolt will present the trophy to the men singles winner. After that he will travel to Oslo for Bislett Games having the official press conference on Tuesday. His 9.95 in Rome was the 34th legal sub 10 of his career which started in the 100 m on sub 10 level in 2008.
ROBLES IN TORINO
TORINO (ITA): Cuban hurdling star Dayron Robles returns to competition on Saturday at Primo Nebiolo Memorial in Torino. “In fact, I never thought of quitting (athletics) for good. I had problems wth my femur, but I have recovered slowly and I now feel very good. This is my first race of the year. I resumed training in Havana in October and I am ready. I will do my best,” he said at a press conference. His next meet after Torino will be Goteborg onJune 15. Another star of the meet is US female hurdler Lolo Jones, Italian sprinter Michael Tumi comes from Golden Gala 10.19 race.
BEKELE, HARTING VS.MALACHOWSKI, WOMEN POLE VAULT
HENGELO (NED): Kenenisa Bekele at 5000 m with Kenyan Augustin Choge is one of the highlights of FBK Games on Saturday (IAAF World Challenge). Steeple world leader Conseslus Kipruto goes down to 1500 m against Mekonnen Gebremedhin and Silas Kiplagat. Good field in the 800 m with improved French Pierre-Ambroise Bosse, South African Andre Olivier but also European Champion Marcin Lewandowsk and group of Kenyans. Churandy Martina runs the 200 m, 2009 World champion Ryan Brathwaite is in thr 110 hurdles and LJ Van Zyl in the 400 m hurdles against US duo Anderson-Gaymon and Briton Rhys Williams. In men technical events discus fight Robert Harting vs. Piotr Malachowski, shot put Reese Hoffa against Dylan Armstrong and deep field in long jump with top Germans Sebastian Bayer and Christian Reif against Irving Saladino, Ignisious Gaisah and Ngoni Makusha. On the women side 1500 m world leader Abeba Aregawi steps down to attack Swedish 800 m record. Ethiopian women (Diriba, Burka among others) will try for fast 5000 m time. In the 200 m improved Ukrainian Mariya Ryemyen faces US Tiffany Townsend and in the 400 m hurdler Eilidh Child will fight with overseas duo Patricia Hall and Keshia Baker. Pole vault could bring new world lead with olympic medalist Yarisley Silva, season debut of Svetlana Feofanova and German record holder Silke Spiegelburg.
ROME FLASHBACK
ROME (ITA): Federation (FIDAL) president Alfio Giomi expressed satisfaction with Golden Gala Pietro Mennea. There was increase of spectators from 50 077 to 52 305. Giomi was speaking about his wish and plan to add 10 000 more for 2014 edition of the meeting. He also confirmed that he will propose that Pietro Mennea´s name will be added to the meet title also in future. Unnoticed went at Golden Gala new Asian junior record by Albert Rop (former Kenyan), now representing Bahrain with 13:10.14 at the 5000 m.
OTHER NEWS
MOSCOW (RUS): New four two-years bans from anti-doping commission of All-Russian athletics federation. 22-year-old Anton Fisun is banned from May 20, 2013 till May 19, 2015. His sample collected at national combined events cup in Adler on May 9 was positive for steroids oxandrolone and oralturinabol. Yunna Dmitrieva, who has won national cup this year, lost her title as was caught using oxandrolon. 24-year-old Russian has the same term of the ban. Sample of 23-year-old Natalia Logutenkova which was collected at national cross-country championships in Kislovodsk on March 30 was positive for banned substance GW1516. Ban started on April 20, 2013 and will be ending on April 19, 2015. Junior Marina Buchelnikova is banned from February 21, 2013 till February 20, 2015 as her sample from national indoor championships in Novocheboksarsk (collected on February 9, 2013) was positive for anabolic steroid Methylandrostendiole.
MOSCOW (RUS): Reigning high jump European indoor and world silver medalist Aleksey Dmitrik informed All Sport news agency he plans to perform at European team championships in Gateshead. “I’m satisfied with all my results this season despite the fact that I have cleared only 224 at first DL meeting in Doha. We didn’t prepare for that competition at all. Before Doha event I had no one jump in training. 230 in Eugene is the result of only two-week technical practices. It’s not bad” said 29-year-old Russian. Next competitions appearance Dmitrik plans for Rabat (June 9) and Dakar (June 12).
ZAPORIZHZHYA (UKR): London Olympic 4x100m relay bronze medalists Mariya Ryemyen and Olesya Povh start their international competitions season. “We didn’t want to speed up season preparations of Mariya and Olesya and put under the risk their health. That is why they begin international season bit later than usual” said to FLAU web coach Kostantyn Rurak. European 100m leader Mariya Ryemeyn will perform at 200m at the IAAF World Challenge meetings in Hengelo on June 8 and in Moscow on June 11. Povh will compete at 100 m in Torino. Both girls are planning to run 100 m at Oslo Diamond League on June 13.
LAUSANNE (SUI): Six candidates for IOC presidency have been confirmed by the deadline. They are IOC vice presidents Thomas Bach of Germany and Ng Ser Miang of Singapore, finance commission chairman Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico, amateur boxing association head C.K. Wu of Taiwan, IAAF Vice-President and pole vault world record holder Sergey Bubka of Ukraine and rowing federation chief Denis Oswald of Switzerland. Next stop on the campaign trail: the Association of National Olympic Committees assembly in Lausanne, Switzerland, on June 14. The candidates return to Lausanne onJuly 4 to present their manifestos to IOC members. The meeting will be held behind closed doors, with each candidate given 15 minutes. Agencies are informing.
KLADNO (CZE): Despite some injury withdrawals the 7th edition of TNT Combined Events meeting in Kladno offers on Saturday and Sunday top competition. Ukrainian Hanna Melnychenko with local girl Eliska Klucinova and Poland´s Karolina Tyminska are the heptathlon headliners. Decathlon should be the duel of Andrey Kravchenko of Belarus with Dmitriy Karpov of Kazakhstan. Serbian Mihai Dudas could surprise them both.
PRAVETS (BUL): Spain and Great Britain defend their European Cup 10,000m titles in Pravets, Bulgaria, on Saturday evening, 12 months after their team victories in Bilbao. The women’s event brings together some of Europe’s best runners this season, including two athletes who have stamped their mark when it matters at the major events. Portugal Ana Dulce Felix will be joined in Pravets by Daniela Cunha and Catarina Ribeiro but Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse will the runner they all need to keep an eye on. Hungary’s Kristina Papp is third on the 2013 European Athletics rankings with 32:42.40 from Budapest in April but Spain’s Sonia Bejarano, who is fifth in the lists with 32:55.57, and Serbia’s Olivera Jevtic, who is sixth with 32:58.80, should also be in there making their mark. Spanish team should fight with Italian in men race. The European lead 2013 will be under threat in women race (Corinna Harrer 32:30.41), men will have it tough to attack the 27:40.81 of Briton Chris Thompson.
NEW YORK (USA): Kenyan Linet Masai is ready to try and make history on the roads of Central Park here Saturday at the 42nd Oakley New York Mini 10K. If the 2009 IAAF world champion over 10,000m crosses the finish first, she will become just the fourth women in event history to have earned three victories at the first-ever road race exclusively for women. “It feels good to come back, I hope I will win tomorrow,” Masai told Race Results Weekly in an exclusive interview less than 24 hours prior to the race. The roads of Central Park have been kind to the soft-spoken Kenyan. In 2010 –making her United States road racing debut– Masai ran away from a stellar field to win in 30:48, a time that still stands as her personal best.
EDMONTON (CAN): The women’s 100 m hurdles event at the National Track League’s Edmonton International Track Classic will see three of the eight athletes from the London Olympic Games final. Canada’s Phylicia George and Jessica Zelinka will race the USA’s Lolo Jones and Nia Ali in what will be one of the most exciting events at Edmonton NTL on June 29.
CAPE TOWN (RSA): South African athletes are feeling the brunt of ongoing administrative battles at Athletics SA (ASA), according to interim chief Zola Majavu, and the sport’s officials will need to work together to find a solution. “Inevitably the athletes are being affected,” Majavu said on Friday. The Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) confirmed on Friday that South Africa would no longer host the African Junior Athletics Championships later this month. Lamine Faty, secretary general of the CAA, said the continental body had pulled the country’s hosting rights as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) did not recognise the current ASA administration. South Africa did not send squads to the inaugural African Youth Championships in Nigeria in April, or the Southern Region Senior Championships in Botswana last month. Majavu, however, remained confident a team would be sent to the World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine, next month. The IAAF said this week it did not recognise Majavu and would continue to recognise the ASA board.
NAIROBI (KEN): The Africa Junior Championships that were set for June 27to 31 in Johannesburg, South Africa, has been called off after South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) suspended local athletics body officials. The development has ocassioned changes in the Kenyan trials that were set for June 11 to12 at Nyayo National Stadium to select the teams for Africa Junior Championships and World Youth Championships. Confederation of Africa Athletics vice president David Okeyo said the Kenyan trials will now only feature the selection of a team for the World Youth Championships set for July 10 to 14 in Donetsk, Ukraine. There are still possibilities the continental junior championships will be held in another country.
PODOLSK (RUS): 400 m European silver medalist 2010 Kseniya Ustalova informed the national media she’s going to perform at Universiade in Kazan but not sure whether at 400m or just 4x400m relay. “We’ll stay in Podolsk training camp near Moscow till June 24. Only then we’ll schedule my competitions. For sure I’ll compete at national champs and want to be selected for Moscow 2013. My coach says I have good potential for all the season” said 25-year-old Russian who already achieved 50.84 at the Team Championships end of May in Sochi.
RESULTS
BUCURESTI (ROU, Jun 7): The International Romanian Championships had nearly 300 athletes from 7 countries competing. Top result on the men side the 228 clearance of Mihai Donisan in high jump. 400 m hurdles specialist Angela Morosanu clocked 22.93 (+1.0) in the 200 m. Bulgarian guest Vania Stambolova won her event in 56.04. On the women side also to note high jump where Turkish Burcu Yuksel beat on count-back Bulgarian veteran Venelina Veneva, both 190 cm. Moldovan Olesea Cojuhari won the 400 m in 52.13, Roxana Birca the 5000 m in 15:42.62, Ioana Doaga the 1500 m in4:16.31. Anca Heltne was the best in shot put 18.25. From men results Marian Oprea 16.65 (0.0) in the triple, Sergiu Ursu 62.05 in discus and Ioan Zaizan 3:40.06 personal best in the 1500 m.
CHEBOKSARY (RUS, Jun 6): At Russian combined events national championships heptathlon London Olympic 8th placer Kristina Savitskaya scored 6210 points and decathlon European bronze medalist Ilya Shkurenyov set personal best 8354. Second Vasiliy Kharlamova 8098 and third Artem Lukyanenko 8085.
YALTA (UKR, Jun 7): Ruslana Tsykhotska 14.26 and Viktor Kuznetsov (16.92) became the triple jump winners during last day of National Team championships in Crimea. Viktoriya Pohorelska (8:57.75) and Oleksandr Borysyuk (8:06.55) finished first at 3000m. Halyna Obleshchuk (18.36m) and Viktor Samolyuk (18.54) topped shot put events.
CHENNAI (IND, Jun 7): Tamil Nadu triple jumper Renjith Maheswary was the second athlete to earn a berth to the Moscow Worlds after he leapt 16.98 on the final day of National Inter-State Athletics championships which concluded at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Friday evening. In that process he also bettered his own meet mark of 16.73m set at the same venue four years ago. Informs Murali Krishnan.
VARNA (BUL, Jun 5-6): At the 3rd CSIT World Sport Labour Games Bulgarian high jumper Viktor Ninov cleared 223 cm. Interesting to see Cherif Dia Mamadou from Mali winning three events. 100 m in 10.75 (+0.5), long jump 710 (+0.3) and triple jump 15.51 (+2.1).
MONTBELIARD (FRA, Jun 6): Good races at the Meeting National here. In the 1500 m Ethiopians clocked sub 3:38 times. Soresa Fida Jana 3:36.73 ahead of Abiyote Abinet 3:37.30 and Zebene Alemayehu 3:37.79. In women steeple Almaz Ayana good 9:27.49 (her fastest since 2010), in the 1500 m Nadia Noujani from Morocco 4:14.28 and in the 800m Alem Gereziner2:03.03.
TOKYO (JPN, Jun 7): Japanese Championships first day had fast 100 m heats, in first Ryota Yamagata 10.14 (+0.3) and in second world junior record co-holder Yoshihide Kiryu 10.28 (+0.9). Good pole vault battle ended with Seito Yamamoto clearing 570 personal best over national record holder Daichi Sawano 560 and Hiroki Ogata 550. Women 10 000 m produced fast times, winner Hitomi Niiya 31:06.67 over Yuko Shimizu 32:16.58 and Ayumi Hagiwara 32:17.17. National record holder Chisato Fukushima was timed with season best 11.38 (+1.9) in 100 m heats. Saeko Okayama won the long jump with 659 (-0.3) PB and Yuki Ebihara got the javelin title with 60.41. Second Kiho Kue (18) achieved Japanese junior record 58.98.
ROSTOCK (GER, Jun 6): At region final of the competition “Youth trains for Olympic Games” Patrick Muller achieved new German record in U18 category with 5 kg implement 21.68 m. Former record holder was David Storl with 21.40 in 2007.
LEVERKUSEN (GER, Jun 7): European champion 2010 Linda Stahl won the Nerius-Cup in javelin with 64.00 m. Second Katharina Molitor 60.88. Till Woschler topped the men competition with 77.17.
SXIMATARI (GRE, Jun 7): At a local meet season opener for European U
23 Champion Paraskevi Papachristou 13.99m (+0.8) in the triple jump.
IBIRAPUERA (BRA, Jun 6): To add to first day of Brazilian Championships was Franciela Krasucki and her personal best 11.13 (-0.7) in the 100 m semifinal. In the final she was second with 11.15. Wagner Cardoso improved in 400 m heats to 45.82.
YEOSU (KOR, Jun 7): Jin Min-Sup won the pole vault at Korean Championships with 553 cm. In the women 200 m new national junior record for Kim Min-Ji (18) with 24.18. From Tilastopaja.
MENDRISIO (SUI, Jun 7): National record holder Irene Pusterla won the special long jump meet at the square with 640, second Russian Oksana Zhukovskaya 638 and third Slovak Jana Veldakova 636.
SKARA (SWE, Jun 6): Swedish sprinter Nil de Oliveira in in shape of his life. At the meet here two personal bests 10.26 (+1.9) and 20.63 (+0.9). Second in the 100 m Alexander Brorsson also PB 10.30.
SAD NEWS
