by Larry EderSunday, August 26, 2008 was the second day of the 11th IAAF World Championships. And the word for the day was…competition! In the Men’s 20k Walk, Jefferson Perez of Ecuador had to overcome a thirteen second lead at 13k to walk to the win! In the
women’s shot, Valerie Vili of Ecuador had to call all of her strength to make that last big throw! In the men’s 100 meters, Tyson Gay took the lead only after 80 meters! It’s all about the competition!
Day 2 Sunday, August 26, 2007
Men’s 20 k walk-Jefferson Perez in a three peat!
In Ecuador, Jefferson Perez is the sports star. The youngest man ever to win an Olympic race walk medal and the first medal, EVER for Ecuador, Perez won the 1996 Olympic 20k walk. He followed that with World Champ titles in 2003 and 2005, after a silver in 1999.
In Osaka, with temperatures over 90 degrees, and 70 percent humidity, Perez charged into the lead at 13 kilometers, overcoming a thirteen second lead by
Olympic champion Brughnetti. Perez nearly fell at 17 k, but persevered, and won in 1:22:20. In second place was Francisco Javier Fernandez of Spain in 1;22.40, who passed Hatem Ghoula of Tunisia, who finished third, aloo in 1:22.40. Ghoula’s medal was the first World Champs medal for Tunisia.
Men’s 100 meter final-Tyson Gay overcomes Asafa Powell!Atkins takes silver!
Tyson Gay, the fastest man in the world in 2007, versus Asafa Powell, the world record holder. Well, this race lived up to its hype, as Tyson Gay overcame a strong lead by Asafa Powell, who lead from the start to seventy meters, where Gay caught Powell, with Derrick Atkins in close attendance.
Tyson Gay did not stop, but kept going, taking the lead at eighty meters, as Asafa Powell began to tighten up. Gay went on to win, running 9.85. Asafa Powell was caught at 90 meters by find of the year, Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas, who ran a personal best of 9.91 in a championship final! Asafa Powell took the bronze in 9.96!
In the press conference, Tyson Gay thanked his coach, his family, his support and spoke glowingly of Asafa Powell and Derrick Atkins. A man of some emotion, Tyson expressed to the media what it was like to compete under such pressure. Gay has the 200 meters to prepare for later this week.
Women’s Shot Put final-Valerie Vili wins on last throw for New Zealand!
On her very last throw, Valerie Vili had the entire crowd jumping as she threw the shot 20.54 meters to take over first. Defending champion, Nadeza Ostapchuk of Belarus threw a fine 20.48 meters in response, but it was not enough to defend her
title from Helsinki. The Helsinki bronze medalist, Valerie Vili of New Zealand is a good bet to be Kiwi Sportswomen of the year wit this performance! Nadine Kleinart of Germany took the bronze with a throw of 19.77m.
Heptathlon-Carolina Kluft wins third title, sets European Record!
Carolina Kluft of Sweden is the greatest women athlete in the world. Look at her record. Nineteen heptathlons and no defeats. Five years ranked in Track & Field News number one, and now, her new European record. On day one, Kluft hurdled a personal best of 13.15 (1102), high jumped a personal best of 1.95m for 1171 points, threw the shot put 14.81 for 848 points and ran 23.38 for 200 meters to end the first day with 927 points.
On day two, Kluft long jumped 6.85 for 1122, threw the javelin okay with her 47.98m for 821 points and finally, running 2:12.56 for 927 points, gave her a world leader of 7032 points and EUROPEAN RECORD and the gold medal, her third in a world championship Heptathlon. In second, was Lyudmila Blonka of the Ukraine, in a new national record of 6832 and in third was Kelly Sotherton of Great Britain, in a personal best of 6510.
For more related stories: http://osaka2007.iaaf.org/news/kind=512/newsid=40635.html#osaka+2007+highlights+day
For official results: http://osaka2007.iaaf.org/results/bydate.html#racedate=08-26-2007
