In the early 1990s, while I was still living in California, I was able to get Ron Hill sports to sponsor a prep track meet at Los Gatos high school’s all weather track. So, at the K-Bell Classic, this British apparel company puts out a table and shows off its team kit.
The meet was pretty good for early season Northern California: a great high hurdle time ( I think it was Rocky Morris) 14.28, and several 100 meter kids 10.6 to 10.9. The folks from Ron Hill were amazed. They told me that, except in major events, they would not see sprinting like that, much less, in prep events!
At the U.S. champs, we get spoiled with sub 10 second 100 meters! In Eugene at the end of June, mark my word, there will be sub 10 second 100 meter runners who will not make our team.
In that light, please consider the excitement of the fans in Hengelo seeing their first sub ten second 100 meter run!
MARTINA GETS FIRST SUB 10 IN NETHERLANDS
HENGELO (NED, June 1): Four world leading marks and seven stadium records highlighted another edition of FBK Games in Hengelo (IAAF Grand Prix Meeting). Capacity crowd stadium in changing winds saw at the beginning a not succesfull one hour world record attempt. Mr. Hengelo Haile Gebrselassie did not succeed in winds after 13 laps were sub 70 seconds as needed, but then the pace slowed with 71-72 laps and even a 62.27 last lap did not help. The 20 000 m split was 57:47.22 more than one minute behind the 56:26.0 world record from Ostrava 2007. His final measurement was 20 822.36 metres, new meet and stadium record and seventh best mark of all time. „It was difficult in changing weather, rain, wind, we experienced everything. The rabbit was maybe not what was needed at the beginning. I wanted to break the record for this fantastic people. What you can do, it was not possible. But it is just a race, I m still happy. Amazing people here, they came so early. I will not be at World Championships because I will run the Berlin marathon. But I want to be at London Olympics in marathon 2012!,“ he was quoted in an interview with Dutch TV. Then at the end something special happened. Churandy Martina of Netherland Antilles gave the crowd the first ever sub 10 at 100 m in the country as he posted 9.97 (-0.1), it was his fourth career sub 10. And also years second fastest after Usain Bolt Manchester split of 9.91. US Rae Edwards improved as second to 10.02 and third Briton Simeon Williamson second fastest by European this year 10.09. Another sensational winner was Ethiopian Ali Abdosh who clocked years first sub 13 minutes at 5000 m (12:59.56). He beat strong field headed by Kenyans Augustine Choge (13:00.79), world and olympic medalist Eliud Kipchoge (13:00.91) and Edwin Soi (13:01.69). Sudan´s world indoor champion Abubaker Kaki won also his third race of the season after strong finish and with 1:43.10 was only 0.01 slower than his world lead and only 0.05 slower than the meet record. Morrocan Amine Laalou as second got 1:43.36 over David Rudisha who improved to 1:43.53 and European champion Bram Som who clocked european lead of 2009 1:44.80. Olympic winner Brimin Kipruto in strong finish won the the steeple in 8:06.46 and French Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad as second got new PB 8:06.98 what is fourth fastest ever European performer. Asbel Kiprop played his game and won the 1500 m in 3:34.45 over Ethiopian world indoor champion Derese Mekonnen (3:34.85) as all-time great Kenenisa Bekele went out of the race before last lap. Briton Andy Turner won the hurdles sprint after two runners were dq for false starts in european lead 13.30 (+0.3) ahead of Czech Petr Svoboda (13.44). Excellent long jump duel brought years best jumps. World and Olympic winner Irving Saladino posted 856 (+0.8) in his season opener but former global winner Dwight Phillips leaped to 854 and 849 in his series with French Salim Sdiri having european leading 823 and 822 as third. New meet record in last attempt for US Reese Hoffa winning the shot put (21.59) before until leading olympic winner Tomasz Majewski (21.19) as Christian Cantwell was third not close this time (20.49). Latvian Eriks Rags achieved new meet record with 80.66 in javelin.
Best female result was the 3:58.79 meet record and world lead for Gelete Burka in the 1500 m race. Russian Anna Alminova as second achieved european lead 4:01.54 and third Viola Kibiwott clocked 4:02.70. Olympic medalists were not in top four- Iryna Lischynska fifth 4:05.63 and Nancy Lagat 11th 4:07.89. Laverne Jones of US Virgin Islands achieved excellent sprint double with two new national records 11.13 (+0.1) at 100 m and 22.46 (+0.3) at 200 m, the latter also meet record. US Stephanie Durst was close second at 100 m (also 11.13) and world and olympic gold medalist at 400 m Christine Ohuruogu improved to 22.85 as second at 200 m. Norway´s Christina Vukicevic again improved her national record to 12.74 (+1.2) at 100 m hurdles and is Europe fastest runner in the event currently. Jamaican Lacena Golding-Clarke as second 12.78 beat world leader Priscilla Lopes-Schliep of Canada (12.87) with European indoor champion Eline Berings as fourth improving to 12.94 Belgian record. Bahraini Maryam Jamal won close 800 m race in 1:59.98. US Funmi Jimoh won the long jump (674) with olympic winner Maurren Higa Maggi only fourth (661). German Silke Spiegelburg dominated the pole vault with meet record 455 and beat strong Russians Feofanova and Polnova.
IDOWU LEAPES TO 17.60
CHANIA (GRE, June 1): At 61st Venizelia Meet (European Athletics Classic) British olympic medalist Philips Idowu opened the season with european leading 17.60 m.
GERMAN STEEPLE RECORD FOR MOLDNER
REHLINGEN (GER, June 1): German Antje Moldner improved her national record at 45th Pfingstmeeting in the steeple with 9:27.22 what is also european lead for 2009 and third fastest in the world. Czech Jirina Ptacnikova improved hugely and won women pole vault with 455 cm. British Lee McConnell clocked 51.52 to win over Nicola Sanders the 400 m (51.89). Good African distances wins. Richard Kiplagat clocked 1:45.99 at 800 m (second Mattias Claesson of Sweden, 1:46.43), William Biwott 3:37.08 at 1500 m and Daniel Salel 7:47.20 at 3000 m. Here German Arne Gabius with 7:48.27 third. Tim Riedel cleared 222 in high jump and won in count-back over Czech Jaroslav Baba.
KAPPLER JUMPS 681
WESEL (GER, June 1): Excellent women long jump at jumping meet. Bianca Kappler leaped to 681 ahead of Beatrice Marscheck (673) and Claudia Tonn (671). Anika Leipold achieved in B-section 667 (+1.2). In men competition Peter Rapp got 804 and Nils Winter 801. Former world champion Charles Friedek registered 16.97 in triple jump.
CHAMBERS IN GENEVE
GENEVE (SUI): Small meetings are getting interesting media coverage due to participation of British Dwain Chambers. After his invitation to Tuesday´s meet in Dessau, Germany was withdrawn he got a new one for the Swiss Meet of Geneve on Saturday June 6.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News.
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