by Larry EderYulia Pechonkina, the world record holder at 400 meter hurdles, has heart problems and will be unable to qualify for the Russian team….
Pechonkina out of the Games
MOSCOW (RUS): Russian head-coach Valentin Maslakov confirmed that world record holder at 400 m Hurdles Yulia Pechonkina is having health problems and will most probably end her career. She will not compete at Russian Nationals later in the month due to heart problems and so unable to qualify for Olympic Games. At last year World Championships she won silver medal.
Slesarenko and Kanter the stars at Swedish EA Permit
SOLLENTUNA (SWE): Sollentuna Grand Prix in Sweden will have for first time European Athletics Permit Status on Tuesday. It is also fourth round of national series Folksam Grand Prix. Very special is the participation of high jump Olympic winner Yelena Slesarenko of Russia (against home Emma Green and another Russian Viktoriya Klyugina) and discus world champion Gerd Kanter of Estonia. He should break the 38 years old stadium record 62.38 of Czech Ludvik Danek. World 400 m finalist Johan Wissman wants to try to better the national 300 m record (32.40). South African Alwyn Myburgh is the favorite of 400 m Hurdles and Latvian world indoor finalist Dmitrij Milkevics at 800 m. Nice battle could be expected in men´s Pole Vault as best Swedes Alhaji Jeng and Jesper Fritz will jump against Germans Lars Borgeling and Richard Spiegelburg, Ukrainian Oleksandr Korchmid and Russian Igor Pavlov.
Soboleva thinks about doubling
TULA (RUS): World indoor champion Yelena Soboleva of Russia after her summer debut at 1:55.7 is optimistic for the season. “I always start the season with 800 m races, that is very good preparation for my main event the 1500 m. I think also Pamela Jelimo is not far away, I was in my first competition one second behind. In next races she must not be that far away,” she was quoted. She remains undecided whether to try for Olympic Games 800 and 1500 m or only one event. Before the Russian Championships which will decide about it she plans only Kuts Memorial competition.
Gevaert with pain, but sure about the Games
BRUSSELS (BEL): European Champion Kim Gevaert is having injury problems with her Achilles. She still thinks about competing on Friday in Rome and on July 16 in Liege and 20 in Heusden. But she is sure to be in Beijing for Olympic Games, that was confirmed by her coach Rudi Diels.
Great triple jump in Thessaloniki
THESSALONIKI (GRE): Wednesday´s European Athletics Premium Meeting in Thessaloniki, Greece will see the best in the world competing in women´s triple jump. World champion and world leader Yargelis Savigne meets with home star Hrysopyi Devetzi, Slovenian world indoor medalist Marija Sestak and Olympic winner Francoise Mbango of Cameroon. Only missing is Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia. In men´s high jump also great field with Olympic winner Stefan Holm, Cyprus world medalist Kyriacos Ioannou, Russian Yaroslav Rybakov, Sweden´s Linus Thornblad and top Czech duo Tomas Janku and Svatoslav Ton. US Olympic 100 m qualifier Darvis Patton is the star of the sprint as is world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica. Home Olympic winner Fani Halkia runs the 400 m Hurdles.
Chances of the five Jackpot Contenders
ROMA (ITA): Five jackpot contenders and their chances at Friday´s third leg of AF Golden League at Golden Gala Meeting in Rome´s Olympic Stadium (based on provisional entry list published at meet website):
Men – Long Jump: Saudi Arabian Hussein Taher Al-Sabee will have it difficult with again healthy world champion Irving Saladino of Panama, top four from US Trials headed by new champion Trevell Quinley and world indoor champion Khotso Mokoena of South Africa. Chances for third win: small
Men – 400 m H: Bershawn Jackson comes to Rome as fresh US Trials winner but world champion Kerron Clement will debut this year in the series. Olympic winner Felix Sanchez will have his first race of the season and Angelo Taylor comes as Olympic participant too. Chances for third win: good
Women – 800 m: World junior record holder Pamela Jelimo won the Kenyan trials with fastest ever time in Kenya and also the absence (as per All Sport Agency) of Yelena Soboleva should make it easy for her. Chances for third win: very good
Women – 100 m H: Josephine Oniya of Spain will face top two from Jamaican trials and European Champion Susanna Kallur as toughest rivals. Chances for third win: small
Women – HJ: Blanka Vlasic is without question the queen of her event. Even the best Russians like Yelena Slesarenko or Anna Chicherova are looking as no possibility to disturb her in the winning streak (already 31 competitions). Chances for third win: very good
RESULTS
GERLINGEN (GER, July 7): At special Shot Put meet here European Champion Ralf Bartels won for third time with solid 20.39 m.
CHAMBERY (FRA, July 5): Fast 400 m Hurdles times for Sebastien Maillard (49.34) and Aurore Kassambara (28) with 55.99 PB in women race.
ATLANTA (USA, July 4): Ethiopian Terefe Maregu won the 39th Peachtree Road Race at 10 km (28:30) ahead of Kenyans Peter Kamais (28:34) and Daniel Kipkoech (28:38). Women winner Ukrainian Natalya Berkut just came from National Championships 10 000 m track win to 32:23 triumph. Ethiopian Ashu Kasim was second (32:36). Informs Race Results Weekly.
PORT ELIZABETH (RSA, July 5): Hendrick Ramaala has only once lost a national championships race on the road since 2000, but here he had no answer to the superior speed of Stephen Mokoka. It is Mokoka’s first national title (and his first half marathon), while his 62:04 is also the fastest time by a South African for the year. Complaining of a lack of speed because of his marathon training for Beijing, defending champion Ramaala neverthless said he was satisfied with his performance. In the women’s race Helalia Johannes of Namibia won in 70:59, but the SA title went to second placed Zintle Xiniwe, who ran a PB 73:02. Informs Race Results Weekly
Used with permission of the man and the legend, Alfons Juck.
