Nadezhda Ostapchuck hit a world leading 20.98m to lead the women's shot going into Beijing. She should give World champ Kiwi Valerie Vili a battle for shot put supremacy. Andrey Mikhnevich of Belarus popped a fine 22.00m throw, the European leader and should be in the real medal hunt on the men's shot put. Mikhnevich's mark puts some pressure on the US trio of Reese Hoffa, Adam Nelson and Christian Cantwell. My money is on the US trio, but there will be no guaranteed medals in the shot put, on either the men or women's side.
EME NEWS (JULY 28, 2008)
Shot Put world lead for Ostapchuk 20.98, Mikhnevich gets European lead 22.00
STAIKI (BLR, July 27): Excellent shot put results at Vyacheslav Ovsyanik Memorial in Belarus. World medalist Nadezhda Ostapchuk showed impressive shape before Olympic Games with world leading 20.98 m. She also had 20.80 and 20.13 in the series. Her previous world lead was 20.90 from early of July at National Championships. "I wanted to achieve 21 metres so I m not totally satisfied. I expect that my main rivals in Beijing will be Valerie Vili and my teammate Natalya Mikhnevich," she was quoted afterwards. Second place here for Yanina Provalinskaya-Karolchik with 18.49 m. Former world champion (2003) Andrey Mikhnevich was also excellent with new personal best and European lead 22.00 m. He also had in the series 21.52, 21.99 and 21.98 and is suddenly a threat for US Olympic favorites. He missed the national record of Sergey Kasnauskas from 1984 only by 9 cm. In other events Dmitriy Sivakov registered 64.83 in discus, Darya Pchelnik 74.24 in hammer with second Svetlana Sudak improving the Turkish record to 70.74 (she is formerly from Belarus). Interesting improvent for javelin thrower Aleksandr Ashomko with 84.27 m. Maksim Lynsha came close to national record at 110 m Hurdles with 13.46 PB. The record by Viktor Maslakov is 13.41 since 1980.
Murofushi again over 80 m
TOYOTA (JPN, July 27): Reigning Olympic winner Koji Murofushi again went over 80 metres at Hammer Challenge Cup round 2 with 80.34.
Sebrle injured, but goes to Beijing
PRAHA (CZE): Reigning decathlon winner from Athens Roman Sebrle is not having a lucky year. During saturday´s Pole Vault meet in Kutna Hora he got a strong cramp at right hamstring and was forced to cancel the competition. As a precaution he cancelled his all other meets (including Wattenscheid on Friday). "It is very unlucky this year. But I m not giving up. My preparation will continue, I will go to Beijing and compete there." he said.
Last big meeting: Powell, Isinbayeva the headliners
MONTE CARLO (MON): The Herculis Meeting is the last IAAF World Athletics Tour fixture before Olympic Games. Stade Louis II will see some of the top athletes, mainly sprinting star Asafa Powell of Jamaica having his last pre-olympic test. The meet is part of Super Grand Prix category and is having its third year after having break because of IAAF World Athletics Final (2003-5). His main rivals will be training partner Darrell Brown of Trinidad and Bahamian Derrick Atkins who beat him in Osaka last year. Russian Pole Vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva could well again threaten her world record 503 from Rome Golden Gala, her US rival Jennifer Stuczynski is a late withdrawal. In other sprints fastest European Martyn Rooney runs against Jamaican Ricardo Chambers, US Trials winner David Oliver is the star of 110 m Hurdles. In women sprints 400 m Hurdles could be a race with many potential Olympic medallists. Jamaican Melaine Walker, US Tiffany Williams and Poland´s Anna Jesien. Even a world lead could be well under threat in expected good weather conditions. Another great field in women´s 100 m with Jamaican stars Simpson, Stewart, Fraser against US armada headed by Tori Edwards. Fast times are possible also at 100 m Hurdles with Jamaican Brigitte Foster-Hylton running against Oceanian record holder Sally McLellan and reigning Olympic champion Joanna Hayes. In the jumps world leader Andrey Silnov of Russia is the top high jump name, world champion Nelson Evora in triple jump (against Jadel Gregoria and Marian Oprea). In women´s long jump co-world leader Naide Gomes is the favorite. In races Olympic winner Yuriy Borzakovskiy is the star of 800 m, London mile winner Shedrack Korir competes against 2005 world champion Rashid Ramzi at 1500 m and best Kenyans (only missing is Ezekiel Kemboi) will fight in steeple (Koech, Matelong, Kipruto). Also here the world lead will be under threat. Fast relays are expected too with men´s and women´s US Teams having their final warm-up races.
Olympic Teams
PORTUGAL: Official Olympic Team was approved with 13 men and 14 women. The headliners are of course Nelson Evora, Francis Obikwelu and Naide Gomes.
The team as forwarded by Arons Carvalho:
MEN (13)
Francis Obikwelu (100, 200 m)
Arnaldo Abrantes (200 m)
Rui Pedro Silva (10000 m)
Alberto Paulo (3000 st.)
Edivaldo Monteiro (400 h)
Nelson Évora (TJ)
Marco Fortes (SP)
João Vieira (20 km W)
Sérgio Vieira (20 km W)
António Pereira (50 km W)
Augusto Cardoso (50 km W)
Paulo Gomes (marathon)
Helder Ornelas (marathon)
WOMEN (14)
Carmo Tavares (800 m)
Jessica Augusto (3000 st, 5000 m)
Sara Moreira (3000 st)
Clarisse Cruz (3000 st)
Sandra Tavares (PV)
Naide Gomes (LJ)
Vânia Silva (HT)
Sílvia Cruz (JT)
Susana Feitor (20 km W)
Vera Santos (20 km W)
Ana Cabecinha (20 km W)
Inês Monteiro (marathon)
Ana Dias (marathon)
Marisa Barros (marathon)
IAAF TV deals in Brazil and New Zealand
MONTE CARLO: The IAAF confirmed the continuation of TV rights agreements for the IAAF World Athletic Series of competitions for Brazil and New Zealand, following recent deals for the 2010/2013 period. Dentsu, IAAF's Marketing Agency, has secured the agreement with existing partners Globosat and Sky Network, which cover Brazil and New Zealand respectively.
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