by Larry EderWith the way things are looking in the decathlon, two medals in the Berlin decathlon could come from the Northern Hemisphere: Jamaica & Cuba…..
EME NEWS (JULY 5, 2009)
WORLD LEADING DECATHLON BY SUAREZ
HAVANNA (CUB, July 4): Olympic bronze medalist Leonel Suarez won the gold at 22nd Central and Caribbean Athletics Championships in decathlon with new continental record and world leading 8654 points. He was very impressive on second day with 77.47 javelin what is second best ever in decathlon (taking only 7000+ marks into account). Only German Peter Blank got 79.80 in his 7425 decathlon in 1992. The best so far in decathlons over 8000 was 74.58 by Dave Johnson also in 1992. Here all marks of Suarez: 11.07-742-14.39-209-47.65-14.15-46.07-470-77.47-4:27.29. Second Yunior Diaz scored 8013 points. But overall it was not such a good day for Cuban athletes as the first one. The 4×100 m male relay did not finish the heats, olympic medalist Ibrahin Camejo was only 7th in long jump (743) and the other olympic finalist Wilfredo Martinez fouled all attempts. At least Guillermo Martinez won the javelin (82.16), Roberto Janet the hammer (73.80) and Jose Roberto Sanchez the steeple (8:30.08). Lavern Spencer cleared 191 in high jump to win the gold for St. Lucia and Osbourne Moxey was the best in long jump for Bahamas (796, 0.0). Favorites clearly advanced in 400 m hurdles heats (Javier Culson 49.40 and Felix Sanchez 49.55). In the relay finals Trinidad won in 38.73 ahead of Jamaica (39.31) and Bahamas (39.45) as all teams missed their fastest runners. St. Kitts got unexpected women gold in 43.53 (national record) ahead of Colombia (43.67).
NGATUNY AND NAKAMURA
SAPPORO (JPN, July 5): Surging over the hill leading up to the stadium, Kenyan Gideon Ngatuny (1:00:39) and Yurika Nakamura (1:09:20) won the men’s and women’s division of the Sapporo International Half Marathon. “After the half way, I was bit tired, so I am happy that I was able to stay in contact with the leader,†said Nakamura after the race. When asked about her breakaway over the final hill, she explained, “I have been training on hilly course in June, so I pushed the pace while thinking about the hard work I have done.†The men’s race started very fast and for much of the race the pace was ahead of the course record, 59:54 by Mogusu, but any chance of the record went out of the window after 15Km, writes Ken Nakamura. Coincidentally, both Ngatuny and Nakamura will be running in the World Championships in Berlin, so Sapporo half marathon was an auspicious final tune-up for upcoming important race. Second record holder Mokubo Mugusu (1:00:58) and third Cyrus Njui (1:01:03), best Japanese Atsushi Sato as 9th (1:02:54). In the women’s race, Julia Mombi, Kenyan living in Japan, finished second in 1:09:30, while Yukari Sahaku, who finished second at 10000m in the national championships and thus selected to run in Berlin, was third another six seconds behind (1:09:36). They are both coached by legendary Yoshio Koide. Yoko Shibui was disappointing 23rd.
OTHER RESULTS
JINAN (CHN, July 4): Ji Wei posted fast 13.47 (+0.4) at 110 m hurdles during Chinese Grand Prix meet and could be the representative in Berlin in the wake of injured Liu Xiang. Female 400 m hurdler Huang Xiaoxiao clocked in heats solid 55.60. Son Aimin won the discus as expected (61.44) and Li Jinzhe leaped to 799 (+0.6) in long jump.
GOLD COAST (AUS, July 5): 23 000 runners took part in the Gold Coast Airport Marathon. Winning Kenyan William Chebor debuted in excellent 2:11:58. Second Australian Shane Nankervis clocked 2:16:46. In close women finish winning Lauren Shelley and second Roxie Schmidt clocked identical 2:42:22.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News.
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