SUPER 10 000 M RACES

PALO ALTO (USA, May 1): Three world-leading marks and two dozen Olympic Games "A" qualifying times highlighted the results of Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational at Stanford University.  Hundreds of athletes flocked to this distance-oriented meet to take advantage of the reliably cool and dry conditions. The men's 10 000 m produced the best quality results, led by Kenyan Bedan Karoki who clocked a world-leading 27:13.67.  Karoki competes for the Japanese S&B corporate team. Behind him big improvements for Robert Curtis (27:24.67), Ben St. Lawrence (27:24.95, Australian record), Briton Chris Thompson 27:27.36 and four more under 27:30. Fifth Tim Nelson 27:28.19, sixth Matt Tegenkamp 27:28.22 (debut), seventh Kenyan Stephen Sambu 27:28.64 and eighth Leonard Korir 27:29.40. European and world medalist in steeple French Boubdallah Tahri debuted as 12th with superb 27:31.46. Byron Piedra clocked as 13th new national record for Ecuador (27:32.59). In total 19 runners went under 28 minutes. The women's 25-lap contest came down to a two-woman battle between Kenyan Sally Kipyego and American Shalane Flanagan.  Winning Kipyego clocked world leading and personal best 30:38.35 ahead of Flanagan (30:39.57). Third Japanes Kayoko Fukushi held on for third in 30:54.29, but missed her stated goal of breaking Yoko Shibui's national record of 30:48.89 set at the same meet in 2002.  Fourth Lineth Chepkurui of Kenya 31:24.20 ahead of Molly Huddle 31:28.66. In all, eight women ran under the Olympic Games "A" Standard of 31:45.00. The third world leader came in the women's steeplechase where the University of Colorado's Emma Coburn, last year's NCAA Championships runner-up, clocked a personal best 9:40.51, comfortably under the Olympic Games "A" standard of 9:43.00. Billy Nelson won the men's steeplechase, coming from third position on the last lap, and was the only athlete in the event to get under the Olympic "A" standard of 8:23.21.  Nelson ran 8:22.44, beating Kyle Alcorn (8:23.27) and Ben Bruce (8:26.90). Katie Follett (4:08.95) and Ben Blankenship (3:39.49) were both surprise winners in their respective 1500m races. The top sections of the 5000m were won by Brandon Bethke (in a dramatic sprint finish over Elliott Heath, 13:25.82 to 13:26.14), and Canadian Nicole Sifuentes (who sprinted away from Mexico's Sandra Lopez and America's Angela Bizzarri and clocked a personal best 15:27.84).  In the 800 m Christin Wurth-Thomas achieved 2:00.72 and Prince Mumba of Zambia 1:46.96. From technical events to note the women shot put by US record holder Jill Camarena-Williams (18.91) and discus by Croatian record holder Martin Maric (63.18). With help from RRW.

 

CHEMOS VS ZARUDNEVA

DOHA (QAT): Despite world leading mark from Palo Alto the first real women steeple race is planned for the Samsung Diamond League opener on Friday in Doha. Kenyan Milcah Chemos will run against Russian European gold medalist and Continental Cup winner Yuliya Zarudneva. The Russian leads their head to head 3:2 and the meet record 9:28.50 by Dorcus Inzikuru of Uganda in 2005 should be broken. Olympic winner Gerd Kanter said before his first this years discus clash with European Champion Piotr Malachowski that he aims to throw 66-67 meters. That means he can attack the world lead 66.95 of Dutch Eric Cadee.

 

LAGAT AIMS FOR FAST 5K

PHILADELPHIA (USA): Former track world champion Bernard Lagat who had a fast first leg at distance medley relay at Penn Relays aims for 5000 m as his main event in 2011. For Universal Sports he revealed his plans. "I am going to go to the Pre Classic and do the two-mile there and then I will come to New York, my second home, to run the 5000 m. After that will come another 5000m at Nationals, " he said. In the July circuit he plans two competitions for the moment. The Tangiers meet in Morocco which is organised by his big friend Hicham El-Guerrouj (July 16, 2000 m).  The second-most important race of the year will come after that, the 5000m in Monaco at Herculis Diamond League meeting. "I want to run 12:49. I am saying it now," Lagat was quoted. His US record is 12:54.12 from last year Bislett Games.

 

 

 

OTHER NEWS

 

 

AMSTERDAM (NED) : Dutch former NCAA star Susan Kuijken is preparing for the season in Australia where she trains in the Olympic Park in Melbourne. Following years of niggling injuries Kuijken has changed her training regime in the hopes of staying injury-free in her preparation for the London Olympic Games. Kuijken will go back to The Netherlands in June and is planning to compete until late September.

 

BERLIN (GER) : German athlete Janina Goldfuss has ended her career. The 27-year old 800m runner ran her PB of 2:01.89 in 2004 in Zurich and will now be focusing on talent development in the sport.

 

DOHA (QAT): The venue put forward by the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) to host the 2017 World Athletics Championships, the Khalifa International Stadium,  is set to have retractable seating installed in order to give spectators the best possible view for both athletics events and football matches. Doha is bidding against London, Budapest and an unnamed city from Spain to host the 2017 Championships but the Qatari capital looks to have stolen a march on their rivals with the ambitious plans for their key venue. The 50,000 Khalifa International Stadium is part of the Doha Aspire Sports City complex and the premier athletics venue in the country reports insidethegames.

 

LONDON (GBR): Following her impressive 12.66 wind aided run at the Drake Relays, Tiffany Ofili believes she can soon break the 15 year old British 100m hurdles record of 12.80 set by Angie Thorpe. Ofili already brought the British 60m hurdles record to 7.80 when winning the silver medal at last European indoor championships.

 

LONDON (GBR): Senegal will train in Gillingham in the build-up to the London 2012 Olympics writes Insidethegames. Medway Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Senegal National Olympic and Sports Committee for its squad to train at Medway Park.

 

BAIE MAHAULT (FRA): The Guadeloupe meet on May 7 will have except the already announced names (Dayron Robles, Jeremy Wariner) also solid 100 m field for men. Commonwealth Games Champion Lerone Clarke will run against olympic finalist Churandy Martina, French star Martial Mbandjock as well as the World Junior Champion Dexter Lee. Also fresh European indoor champion from March Francis Obikwelu is listed to compete.

 

LONDON (GBR): Tony Blair has claimed that the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro offers Brazil an unprecedented opportunity to rebrand itself and attract new investment to help it improve its economic situation. But the former British Prime Minister also warned that it could affect the reputation of the country if it things went wrong. Blair was appearing at the World Economic Forum on Latin America in Rio de Janeiro having controversially not been invited to the Royal Wedding in London today between Prince William and Kate Middleton. Informs insidethegames.

 

VOLGOGRAD (RUS): Yelena Isinbayeva should start into the season in the middle of July. As the All-Sport agency informs the first summer meet should be the EA Premium Meet of Heusden-Zolder on July 16. Coach Yevgeniy Trofimov was quoted as saying this. He also confirmed that the training is going well, Isinbayeva starts slowly with outdoor training.

 

LAUSANNE (SUI): European Athletics confirmed venues for the European Champion Clubs Cup, the usual end of May competitions. The stronger A-group will be held again in Vila Real de Santo Antonio (May 28-29) and the B-group in Belgrade (one day competition on May 28). Title defenders are men and women of Luch Moscow. In the B-group promotion into the higher class will be the main issue, top two male and female teams will qualify for the A-group in 2012.

 

WARSZAWA (POL): Berlin high jump medalist Sylwester Bednarek was in good training after surgery and planned for the summer season and Daegu. But his knee problems returned and doctors said another surgery is necessary. That means the 2011 summer is out and he is now aiming to be back on time for London Olympics 2012.

BANSKA BYSTRICA (SVK): Slovakia is sending to European Cup Race Walking in Portugal strong duo for 20 km Matej Toth and Anton Kucmin. In the 50 km Milos Batovsky with Dusan Majdan. Maria Czakova will compete in the women 20 km. In junior boys 10 km Patrik Spevak, Marcel Faber and Peter Tichy jr. (son of Atlanta walking olympian).

 

MONTE CARLO (MON): Since May 1 amended IAAF Rules and new & updated IAAF Regulations recently approved by IAAF Council have come into force. For example amendments to IAAF Competition Rules. New Regulations were approved for governing eligibility of females with "Hyperandrogenism". Updated are also IAAF Anti-Doping Regulations and IAAF Athletes Representative Regulations.

 

 

 

RESULTS

 

 

BELFAST (GBR, May 2): Kenyan Jacob Chesire won the 30th Belfast Marathon on the traditional May Day holiday in new course record 2:14:56. Three-times previous winner John Mutai was second in 2:19:55.

 

TORONTO (CAN, May 1): Reid Coolsaet won the Sporting Life Toronto 10 km in 28:08.

 

IRVINE (USA, May 1): Dwain Chambers was running against the wind again and clocked 10.39 (-2.8) at the 17th Steve Scott Invitational. Other British wins for 400 m specialist Martyn Rooney at 200 m (20.87, +2.1) and for Rhys Williams at 400 m hurdles (50.72). Solid discus by Wes Stockbarger who improved to 64.38 ahead of Britons Carl Myerscough (63.98), Brett Morse (63.82, UK U23 record) and Dutch Rutger Smith (62.54).

 

SPOKANE (USA, May 1): Ethiopian Misiker Mekonnin won the women 15 km at Lilac Bloomsday Run in 40:25 ahead of world medalist Wude Ayalew (40:26).

 

PHILADELPHIA (USA, May 1): At 32d annual Blue Cross Broad Street Run Ethiopian Ketema Nigusse won the 10 miles in 46:29. Ireland´s Martin Fagan was second (46:39). In the women category Moroccan Malika Mejdoub won in 55:40.

 

SAO PAULO (BRA, Apr 30): Lutimar Paes got solid 1:46.94 in the 800 m at another local meet in Brazil. Matheus Inocencio posted windy 13.54 (+2.2) at 110 m hurdles. Women 400 m is having now good deep in the country. Jailma Sales de Lima clocked 52.21 and Joelma das Neves Sousa personal best 52.36.

 

TOLUCA (MEX, Apr 26-28): At National Olympics "Olimpiada Nacional" Jose Carlos Herrera won both sprints in 10.45 and 20.84 and added also the 400 m win (47.08).  Gabriela Medina achieved 52.59 in the women 400 m.

 

NICOSIA (CYP, Apr 30): German thrower Markus Esser showed solid hammer shape with 79.03 in Cyprus during a training camp.