by Larry Eder
ORLEANS (FRA, Jan 12): Perche Elite Tour, the French pole vault indoor series, started with UK record holder Holly Bleasdale clearing 462 cm. Second Sweden´s world junior record holder Angelica Bengtsson (437) and third another Britton Sally Peake also 437. Kostadinos Filippidis of Greece won the men competition with solid 567 and tried afterwards at new national indoor record height of 577 cm. Second Jerome Clavier 562 and third former world champion Rens Blom of Netherlands with 547, his best since 2008.
Lavillenie 583
AUBIERE (FRA, Jan 12): Olympic winner Renaud Lavillenie started his indoor season in big style. At Capitale Perche meet he cleared in third attempt high quality 583 cm and missed only 593 afterwards. Before he jumped all other heights in first attempt (553, 563 and 573). His next appearance at Pole Vault Festival in Reno, USA next weekend. Another top result here from hurdler Dimitri Bascou 7.65 at the 60 m hurdles and European champion Eloyse Lesueur leaped to 663 cm in the long jump.
Britton again wins
ANTRIM (GBR, Jan 12): European champion Fionnuala Britton posted another impressive victory as she won the senior women’s race at the IAAF cross-country international in Antrim. Informs Athletics Weekly. She was timed with 18:17 to beat British runner Louise Damen by 12 seconds (18:29), with Magdalene Masai of Kenya third(18:45). Linda Byrne, who along with Britton was part of the Irish team that won team gold at the Euro Cross in Budapest last month, was fourth (18:48), with Eunice Kales of Kenya fifth (18:57), then Freya Murray-Ross (18:57) and Steph Twell of Scotland (18:58). Thomas Ayeko of Uganda, who was 16th in the Olympic 10 000 m final last year, was a runaway winner of the men’s race as he beat in 33:08 David Bett of Kenya (33:45), with Brits Andy Vernon (33:59), Frank Tickner (34:13), Stephen Scullion (34:52) and Matt Bowser (34:56) following in a meeting that has IAAF status but also incorporates the latest stage of the McCain UK Cross Challenge series.
OTHER NEWS
ADDIS ABABA (ETH): Ethiopian Marathon Runner Alemayehu Shumye Tafere with 2:08:46 best in 2009 has died on Friday at 7pm Ethiopian time in a car crash.
HOUSTON (USA): Due to visa problems half marathon favorite Atsedu Tsegay of Ethiopia did not arrive to USA.
ITEN (KEN): Kenyan sports minister Ababu Namwamba on Saturday commissioned construction works of the Lornah Kiplagat Sports Academy in Iten. The high altitude girls-only facility, founded by multiple distance running champion Lornah Kiplagat, is the second individually owned track in the world and will feature a 400-meter all-weather tartan track. The project is aimed at changing the lives of girls in the area rich in athletics talent and will be the first individually-owned athletics track in the country. The sports academy which is being built on a 50-acre piece of land along the Eldoret-Iten road is expected to be functional in April. World 800 m record holder and Olympic champion David Rudisha, British olympic hero Mo Farah and world champion Vivian Cheruiyot were among athletes who attended. Writes The Nation.
OTHER RESULTS
PADERBORN (GER, Jan 11): Mateusz Przybylko cleared her 221 in the high jump, his personal best. Inna Weit clocked 23.60 in the women 200 m.
ANCONA (ITA, Jan 12): Stefano Tremigliozzi achieved 786 in the long jump and hurdler Veronica Borsi won the flat 60 m in 7.47.
ANTEQUERA (ESP, Jan 12): Borja Vivas achieved 19.81 in the men shot put at an indoor meet.
LAS PALMAS (ESP, Jan 12): At an outdoor meet here Ireland´s Steven Colvert achieved 34.25 in the 300 m.
KERICHO (KEN, Jan 12): At final meet of Kenyan CC series wins for John Mwangangi and Emily Chebet (27:36 at 8 km). In men´s 12 km second Isaac Macharia and third Geoffrey Mutai. In women Jane Moraa second 28:05 ahead of Beatrice Chepkemoi 28:09.
