by Larry EderPole vaulters no height, hurdles hit hurdles. When one presses too hard, especially trying to get an American record, things happen. Lo Lo will have to dust herself off, take a big deep breath, and focus on her race, one hurdle at a time. Thank God, she was not injured!
EME NEWS (FEB 13, 2009) UPDATE 2
Lolo Jones crashed in the finals, three world leads
DUSSELDORF (GER, Feb 13): Three world leads and 2000 spectators that were the highlights of 4th International Athletics PSD Bank Meeting Duesseldorf 2009 (EA Indoor Permit). But the top stars did not had their day. Reigning world indoor 60 metres hurdles champion Lolo Jones produced another nightmare performance when losing her season’s 60metres hurdles unbeaten record. The 26-year-old American must have suffered a flashback to the Olympic 100m hurdles final where in Beijing with victory seemingly assured, she hit the penultimate obstacle and dropped to seventh place. Jones after striking the first hurdle in her heat and narrowly squeezing into the final (8.18), then fared even worse when crashing to the ground after colliding heavily with the second barrier and falling to the track. The favourite’s demise saw fellow countrywoman Yvette Lewis claim a thrilling victory as she and Norway’s Christina Vukicevic shared the same time of 8.06 with Lucie Skrobakova of the Czech Republic third in 8.07. But all were faster in heats (Vukicevic 8.02 NR, Cuban Tejeda 8.02, Skrobakova 8.06). 800 m olympic winner 2004 Yuriy Borzakovskiy was third (1:47.29) in a slow race (first 400 53.00) dominated by Beijing silver winner Ahmed Ismail of Sudan (1:46.76) and Kenyan Boaz Lalang (1:47.29). Reigning European indoor champion David Gillick opened his season with a brilliant 400m victory in a world leading time of 46.18. James Kwalia set an Asian and Qatar record when running the fastest 5000m time of year of 13:25.69 ahead of teammate Essa Ismail Rashid and Robert Sigei of Kenya who clocked 13:26.34 and 13:27.33. Unfortunately no Europeans finished the race. Ever-young Chandra Sturrup of Bahamas, former Commonwealth 100m gold medallist stunned her younger rivals when flying to victory and equalling this year’s world 60m fastest mark with a time of 7.17. She hold off the challenge of world indoor bronze medallist Tahesia Harrigan, the British Virgin Islander clocking 7.21 and last year’s winner Angela Williams the reigning world title holder, finished third with a mark of 7.22. In non-traditional 600 m for women Ukrainian world indoor medalist Tetyana Petlyuk clocked second fastest of the year 1:26.87. Close to world lead was Yargelis Savigne the women’s World outdoor and indoor gold medallist, with her winning leap of 14.62 (Russian Taranova has this year 14.67). That happened in the fifth round, until then leading was Marija Sestak of Slovenia with 14.50 from opening effort. Third Dana Veldakova again improved her Slovak indoor record to 14.30. Also close to best mark of the season was the Polish sensation of the evening Sylwia Ejdys clocking 4:07.92 (huge indoor PB) and missed the top result of Russian Yevdokimova only by 0.2, second her more famous colleague Lidia Chojecka achieved 4:09.92. Drama also at 60 m Hurdles for men. Bahama’s Shamar Sands was a comfortable winner in 7.50 by four-hundredths-of-a-second from Dutchman Greg Sedoc (7.54, but he equalled his own Dutch record 7.52 in heats), with the USA’s Dexter Faulk third in 7.58. Czech 110H record holder Petr Svoboda clocked easy 7.55 national indoor record in heats (bettered the old mark of Ales Hoffer 7.56 from 1988, unexpectedly Hoffer died last November at age of 46). In the finals due to slight injury he was not able to run the whole distance. A late surge for the line saw Dabryan Blanton take the men’s race as he and Mark Jelks posted the same time of 6.59. Rae Edwards recording 6.62, made it a US clean sweep of the podium places. Brazil’s former world indoor silver medallist Jadel Gregorio won the triple jump on countback with an opening leap of 17.04 ahead of Bulgarian Momchil Karailiev (their second best attempts were 16.87 and 16.73). Tobias Scherbarth won the pole vault with a second attempt clearance of 570 ahead of armada of fellow Germans. Text with help of David Martin.
Tamgho 17.58, Hooker again six metres
PARIS (FRA, Feb 13): World leading 17.58 triple jump by French talent Teddy Tamgho was the headline result from French point of view (around 8000 spectators) at third SEAT meet in Paris Bercy Hall (national permit). He achieved that already in first round and confirmed with another top jump 17.45. He also missed the national record of Pierre Camara from winning the 1993 world indoor title in Toronto by only 1 cm (17.59). He also reportedly fouled a huge jump possibly around 17.80. Cuban world medalist David Giralt was second (17.11) and Olympic medalist Leevan Sands of Bahamas only fifth (16.54). But internationally seen the top mark came from Australian Steven Hooker who not only remains unbeaten but in third meet of the year for third time achieved a six metres mark. On Friday started with first attempt clearances at 562 and 587 and followed with third try success at six metres. Then three attempts at new world record height 616 followed. His next meet on Sunday in Donyetsk before eyes of Sergey Bubka could be something special. French world medalist Romain Mesnil beat on count-back US Derek Miles as both went over 572 cm. Another important French win for 2005 World Champion Ladji Doucoure who clocked 7.53 at 60 m Hurdles to beat Olympic silver medalist David Payne of USA (7.55 and 7.54 in heats). Third US Eric Mitchum improved to 7.63 and also PB for fourth another French hurdler Garfield Darien (7.63). Nigerian record in heats for Selim Nurudeen (7.64). In women 60 m Hurdles Canadian Olympic medalist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep twice improved her season best. In heats with 7.91 and in finals clocking 7.90. US Damu Cherry was second (7.94) and another Canadian Angela Whyte achieved 7.96 ahead of Ukrainian Olena Krasovska (8.03). US Greg Nixon won another meet after Lievin but was slower on Friday with 32.68 clearly beating home star Leslie Djhone (33.30). Brazilian Jose Carlos Moreira won the 60 m and surprisingly improved to second fastest in the world and new South American indoor record 6.52 clearly ahead of the former continental record holder Vicente de Lima (6.61). Christophe Lemaitre clocked in heats new national junior record 6.64. Fast middle distances by overseas runners. Ali Belal Mansoor of Bahrain won the 1500 m in 3:38.06 and took home runners to second and third fastest European times of the year – Boubdallah Tahri 3:38.39 and Yoann Kowal 3:38.59. Steeple world number one Paul Kipsiele Koech got fourth fastest of the year 7:38.28 at 3000 m with huge margin over another Kenyan Suleiman Simotwo (7:47.03). Austrian Bettina Muller-Weissina was the surprise winner at 60 m in 7.26 ahead of Bulgarian Inna Eftimova (7.28). Brasilian Kelia Costa leaped to 664 Long Jump win and Morrocan Said El Mehdi to 5:57.43 at women´s 2000 m.
Ostapchuk world lead
MOGILYOV (BLR, Feb 13): Shot Put Olympic bronze medalist Nadezhda Ostapchuk improved the world lead of Romanian Anca Heltne by 1 cm to 19.55 m. She achieved so the best result of first day of Belarus National Indoor Championships. Male winner Sergey Bialou got 19.30. Artyom Zaytsev was the best high jumper with 224, this event was staged also as Bulatov memorial. Solid 60 m wins for Dmitriy Zhuk (6.79) and Oksana Dragun (7.29). Dmitriy Dzetsuk confirmed his good triple jump shape with 16.77 leap. As usual solid walks at 10 000 m for Elena Ginko (45:09.06) and Ivan Trotskiy (40:18.19).
World leading addition from Russian Champs
MOSCOW (RUS, Feb 13): After world lead in 800 m heats another one from 400 m. And that even twice. New name on Russian scene Antonina Krivoshapka (21) clocked in heats 51.24 world best mark of the year and improved that in semifinals to more impressive 50.56. Her outdoor best from last year is 51.24.
Polnova as expected
WUPPERTAL (GER, Feb 13): Russian favorite Tatyana Polnova won the women Pole Vault at 22nd Wuppertal Jumping meet with first attempt 452 clearance (she missed then 457). Second best home vaulter Kristina Gadschiew who achieved 446 cm, her indoor PB. African Champion Kabelo Kgosiemang was the best high jumper with 225 ahead of Italian Sandro Finesi (222). Ukrainian favorite Andriy Sokolovskiy tied for fourth (218). Meike Kroger was the best in women high jump (187).
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News.
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